Help digitally empower artisans and SMEs in Nigeria and Africa and Promote Made-in-Nigeria Goods To reduce Recession

by Gbadamosi Abiodun in Ogun, Nigeria

DESCRIPTION

Tradally mission is to increase access to economic opportunity for small scale producers in Nigeria to improve their livelihoods.

Me and project friends on meeting

THE PLAN

While the Internet has generated vast wealth for a few individuals and companies in rich countries, its promise to address global poverty by "leveling the playing field for the little guy" remains largely unfulfilled. For example, grass roots artisans worldwide still receive less than 10% of the final retail price for their beautiful creations. Even via fair trade channels it's seldom more than 15%.

THE PROBLEM

• The artisan and Farming sectors are two of the largest employers in the world. However, it is limited to local sales; a very large numbers of skilled artisans are confined in micro economies, unable to earn enough money to support their business and families.
• A lot of artisans doesn’t know the usefulness or value of internet for their business. Many are internet illiterate, so they don’t know they can sell their products nationwide and globally.
• Another problem is that our Nation Nigeria is dependent majorly on Crude Oil for exportation and revenue generation. One of the major reasons of our present recession predicament as a nation is because we don’t have several items we export.
• Local Artisans doesn’t have buyers or customers beyond their domain.
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SOLUTIONS

Education:Detailed information, knowledge and education will be provided to farmers and artisans on how they can exploit the internet for their business. Items like usage of business card, websites, business directory and E-commerce to grow their business will be discussed. Discussion and education will be taken in English language and artisan’s local languages. This will involved a lot of mobilization to different parts of the country.

Development of a Global Ecommerce Website: An ecommerce website which will be named “Tradally” will be born. Tradally will allow artisans to sell their goods worldwide through technology in Nigeria and Africa at large. The exportation of the goods and products will be managed and monitored by Tradally

Tradally e-commerce platform is aimed to support the Nigeria and Africa's handicraft ecosystem by providing artisans with a window through which they can directly sell their products online.

Also, we want to help the buyers discover different products made by artisan, all on a single platform.

Our aim is to bring a unique range of handicraft products to the wider range of buyers through our platform and to sustain the African culture and spirit under one roof. The categories will comprise of apparels, footwear, home decor and much more

Tradally will allow Nigerian and African artisans and farmers to sell their goods worldwide through technology. We aim to use technology to empower artisans, farmers and entrepreneur connect markets, and foster opportunities that change lives. The artisans post a product on the ecommerce website and then provide a small inventory of the product to the local office. When the product sells, Tradally office immediately sends the product to the customer and contacts the artisan to replenish the stock. As soon as the customer receives the product, the artisan receives an automatic mobile money payment.

This proposed project will do more than just providing artisans with a connection to a wider network of customers. We will work with the artisans and artisan groups to come up with new creative designs that will appeal to western customers and then assist the artisans with project timelines, material sourcing, and even design techniques.

There will be a monitoring and evaluation system to understand what is working well, what types of artisans or artisan groups are selling the most products, what product price ranges are most successful, and what recruitment and training methods are most effective.

Through this e-commerce platform, artisans and farmers can sell their products to consumers worldwide using basic feature phones.

If you go to most informal settlements you will notice the majority of the artisans do a lot of work but they don’t really earn a lot of money. This E-commerce Platform will transform these micro-entrepreneurs into global entrepreneurs by giving them exposure and visibility through the platform.

Artisans who want to work with our E-commerce platform register Tradally and upload photos of their products on the e-commerce platform. Not all these artisans has a formal education talkless of having internet operation knowledge. In each local government in Nigeria, there will be an agent to attend to and help artisans to upload their items on the ecommerce platform which will be another job opportunity for Nigeria youths

When a purchase is made, Tradally will use vehicle to collect the items and handle the shipment. Products will reach the consumer within 10-15 days.

THE RESULT IS MEANINGFUL IMPACT

What social and economic impact do you expect this venture will have?

Tradally mission is to increase access to economic opportunity for small scale producers in the developing world to improve their livelihoods. Accessible tools for local entrepreneurs to support, grow, and formalize the micro, small and medium enterprises of West and Central Africa is necessary to disrupt the pattern of poverty amongst people in WECA starting from Nigeria first, allowing them to grow their businesses and enter the formal economy.

Tradally will recruit these small-scale producers as customers of our SME business tools, granting them access to the international marketplace and increasing their earnings significantly. Moreover, our tools empower artisans to grow their businesses as formal entrepreneurs, gaining access to financial rights and representation through the use of the platform. As the vendor earns traceable income on the Tradally platform, can be leveraged to access loans, open a bank account, and even register as an independent entity.

Tradally will also be a major helper in drastically reducing present and future recession in Nigeria and Africa at large. Artisans selling their goods abroad will bring in more foreign currency to the country, thereby reducing dollar scarcity which is one of the reasons for inflation in Nigeria. When artisans see that they are making sales through Tradally, they will produce more products which will increase supply in the country and much pricing competitions will bring affordability to the general public. Also, more people will join the invest in the artisan and handcraft sector thereby increasing Nigeria's economy.

Furthermore, Tradally will directly and indirectly increase jobs for unemployed youths in Nigeria.

How can you prove that your business will deliver?

There is no doubt that Tradally will deliver because a lot of market researches has been conducted and many more researches will still be conducted. There are lots of international buyers who are interested in Africans products. They will be very happy to have a platform they can good online from Africa. Tradally will be uniquely positioned in that our value propositions cater to a wide variety of consumer demographics, offering innovation in areas as diverse as mobile technology, e-commerce, fashion, artisans’s empowerment, disruptive business models, and financial services. It’s an exciting task and I believe Tradally technology, marketing, and operations teams, along with seasoned advisors, are the perfect people to ensure Tradally succeed.

How is Tradally Different From Other E-commerce Website in Nigeria and Africa.

Tradally will localize its operation in the sense that artisans and Tradally operators will work together to promote locally made goods. Unlike other e-commerce sites in the world, where only people with internet knowledge can sell online, Tradally will meet artisans and farmers 

one-on-one to educate them and help upload their products on the internet. Tradally will also be monitoring each artisan's progress, give advice and encourage them where neccesary. Tradally will be promote majorly made-in-Nigeria Crafts and items.

Lets change Nigeria and Africa together, #Change-Begins-With-Me. LET'S RISE AND PUT AN END TO RECESSION!!! NO amount donation is too small to sponsor this project.

We welcome donations from Individuals and Corporate bodies. God bless you as we build Nigeria together