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To revolutionize cross-border trade and empower African artisans, tech entrepreneurs Wale Ayantoye and Ola John Ajiboye are set to launch “Giri Today”, an innovative e-commerce platform designed to connect African sellers with international buyers. The platform, currently in its final development stages, aims to meet the rising global demand for authentic African food, crafts, and fashion while fostering economic growth on the continent.
A Vision of Efficiency and Global Reach
The name “Giri Today” combines the Yoruba word “Giri,” meaning swift or efficient, with “Today,” symbolizing immediacy and global connectivity. During a virtual pre-launch, Wale Ayantoye, the platform’s CEO and former Global Head of Product Compliance & Risk Management at Flutterwave, emphasized its transformative mission.
“Our goal is to empower African sellers to reach global markets while fostering innovation, sustainability, and economic growth,” Ayantoye said. “We’re eliminating intermediaries to ensure competitive pricing, authenticity, and quality, creating a trusted marketplace for global buyers. Whether you’re in Germany, the UK, the US, or Canada, Giri Today allows you to shop authentic African products at local prices without friction.”
Cutting-Edge Technology for Seamless Connectivity
Ola Ajiboye, Co-founder and Chief Technical Officer, and a software engineer at Amazon Web Services, highlighted the platform’s reliance on artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to streamline buyer-seller interactions.
“Traditionally, sellers rely on social media to find buyers, which is like casting a wide net in a vast ocean,” Ajiboye explained. “With our algorithms, we connect high-intent buyers directly to sellers, significantly increasing their chances of success. Imagine shopping from outside Africa and feeling as though you’re on the continent—this platform makes that a reality through a seamless and intuitive user experience.”
A Marketplace for Empowerment
Giri Today provides free product listings for African artisans and businesses, granting them unprecedented access to a global audience. By eliminating the reliance on middlemen, the platform ensures authentic and competitively priced products for buyers while enabling artisans to retain more profit.
Call to Action for African Entrepreneurs
The founders are inviting local entrepreneurs and businesses to join the platform early and showcase their products to an international market.
This initiative not only meets the growing global appetite for African products but also underscores the role of technology in bridging cultural and economic divides. Giri Today represents a significant step towards empowering African artisans and fostering sustainable economic growth across the continent.
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