TradeDepot
TradeDepot helps small retailers buy inventory from major brands with instant credit.
TradeDepot is a B2B e-commerce and embedded finance platform connecting FMCG brands to over 100,000 small retailers across Nigeria. The platform offers digital commerce, buy-now-pay-later inventory financing, integrated logistics, and data analytics. It uniquely combines a hyper-local marketplace model with embedded credit to help micro-retailers expand purchasing power while reducing supplier delivery costs by up to 25%.
Problem solved
Small retailers lack reliable supply chains, affordable inventory access, and working capital to stock quality goods from major brands.
Target customer
Micro-retailers, kiosks, spaza shops, and mini-markets in Nigeria seeking affordable consumer goods procurement and working capital solutions.
Founders
O
Onyekachi Izukanne
CEO & Co-Founder
Serial entrepreneur with two decades of experience in business growth, startup ecosystem, and fintech; leads strategy and growth.
R
Ruke Awaritefe
Chief Business Officer & Co-Founder
20+ years in finance and management consulting specializing in CPG, energy, and financial services; led strategic transformation projects for major continental companies.
M
Michael Ukpabi
Co-Founder
Co-founder with limited public biographical information available.
Funding history
Series A
$3M
March 2018
Led by Partech Partners
Pre-Series B
$10M
July 2020
Led by Partech Africa
· International Finance Corporation (IFC)
Series B
$110M
December 2021
Led by International Finance Corporation (IFC)
· Novastar, Sahel Capital, CDC Group, Endeavor Catalyst, Partech, MSA Capital, Arcadia Funds (debt)
Total raised:
$123M
Industries
Pricing
Margin-based revenue model on products sold through platform. BNPL services charge approximately 5% monthly effective interest rate.
Notable customers
Nestlé, Unilever, Danone, Kellogg's; 100,000+ micro-retailers across Nigeria using the platform
Integrations
Mobile apps, USSD, WhatsApp, voice call ordering; in-house logistics fleet (vans and tricycles)
Website
Competitors
Sabi
B2B commerce platform with embedded BNPL competing directly in Nigeria; multi-product approach combining marketplace, logistics, and financing.
Anchanto
Competitor in the B2B commerce space with alternative approach to retailer financing.
Vendease
B2B marketplace competitor offering logistics and supplier connectivity.
Why this matters: TradeDepot is the most-funded B2B commerce platform in West Africa, ranking 8th among 51 competitors while leading in total funding. Its combination of digital marketplace, embedded BNPL, and proprietary logistics creates a defensible model addressing critical infrastructure gaps for Nigeria's 100M+ micro-retailers, with proven impact (15x sales growth, 100% margin increases documented).
Best for: Small retailers and kiosks in Nigeria needing affordable consumer goods sourcing, working capital, and reliable delivery from major FMCG brands.
Use cases
Inventory financing for micro-retailers
A retailer who was barely breaking even and saw no growth in 15 years used TradeDepot's BNPL to stock quality goods from major brands. Within months, she increased net monthly margin by almost 100%, hired three new employees, and is now planning expansion.
Supply chain digitization
Small kiosk owners scan real-time prices on major brands like Nestlé and Unilever, place orders via mobile app or USSD, and receive orders from nearby depots within 24 hours, dramatically improving inventory turnover and sales volume.
Sales acceleration through accessible credit
One retailer grew sales transacted by over 15x by leveraging TradeDepot's embedded financing to purchase larger inventory quantities, enabling them to meet customer demand and capture market share.
Alternatives
Sabi
Direct competitor offering similar marketplace and BNPL services; choose Sabi for multi-product integration or if operating outside TradeDepot's primary service area.
Traditional wholesalers
Choose traditional wholesalers if you prefer offline ordering and relationships; TradeDepot offers digital convenience, real-time pricing, and embedded credit unavailable traditionally.
FAQ
What does TradeDepot do? +
TradeDepot is a B2B e-commerce platform that connects small retailers to FMCG suppliers like Nestlé, Unilever, and Danone. It provides digital ordering, buy-now-pay-later inventory financing (charging ~5% monthly interest), integrated last-mile delivery, and retail data analytics. The platform operates via mobile app, USSD, WhatsApp, and voice calls to serve retailers with limited digital literacy.
How much does TradeDepot cost? +
TradeDepot's primary revenue comes from margins on products sold through the platform. For BNPL services, they charge approximately 5% monthly effective interest rate on inventory credit lines. Specific pricing varies by order size and credit profile.
What are alternatives to TradeDepot? +
Main competitors include Sabi (similar B2B BNPL marketplace), Anchanto (B2B commerce), and Vendease (marketplace logistics). Traditional wholesalers and cash-based supply chains remain alternatives but lack digital convenience and embedded credit.
Who uses TradeDepot? +
Over 100,000 micro-retailers including kiosk owners, spaza shop operators, and mini-market owners across Nigeria. They source consumer goods from major FMCG brands including Nestlé, Unilever, Danone, and Kellogg's. Most customers are small business owners seeking affordable inventory and working capital.
How does TradeDepot compare to Sabi? +
Both are B2B BNPL platforms competing in Nigeria's retail finance market. TradeDepot emphasizes hyper-local marketplace efficiency and logistics optimization (25% cost savings for suppliers); Sabi offers a broader multi-product approach combining marketplace, logistics, and standalone financing. TradeDepot has raised significantly more funding ($123M vs. Sabi's lower amount) and has greater transaction depth for underwriting.
Tags
B2B e-commerce
BNPL
buy-now-pay-later
supply chain
FMCG
microfinance
inventory financing
Africa