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Following notable recognition at the Ibadan Tech Expo 2024, Smarg, a financial technology startup building tailored financial tools for creatives and non-traditional earners, has officially exited stealth mode with the launch of its beta application.
Smarg was founded to address the unique financial realities of freelancers, creatives, and independent professionals. Initially conceived as an escrow solution for freelancers, the startup evolved after early user research revealed that payment collection was only one part of a much larger challenge. Non-traditional earners often face unstable income cycles, limited access to credit, and financial products designed almost exclusively for salaried workers.
In response, Smarg repositioned its offering to focus on flexible financial tools built around variable income patterns.
Speaking on the milestone, Josiah Adegboye, CEO/CTO of Smarg, said that since the launch of the beta, the platform has onboarded over 5,000 users, driven largely by freelancers and digital professionals seeking alternatives to traditional banking products.
He said that, “Coming out of stealth represents a shift from experimentation to intentional scaling. The beta launch provides an opportunity to validate Smarg’s product direction while continuing to learn from the financial behaviours, constraints, and needs of our core users.”
He added that Smarg’s emergence builds on earlier community-focused initiatives, including its involvement in the Oyo State Digital Economy Summit, reflecting a strategy that prioritises local engagement alongside long-term ambitions to serve creatives across Africa and beyond.
“As we continue to iterate on the beta, our focus remains on designing financial infrastructure that reflects how non-traditional earners actually work, earn, and grow,” Adegboye said.
Smarg is led by Josiah Adegboye, CEO/CTO, who was recognised at the Ibadan Tech Expo 2024 with the CTO of the Year award and also appeared as a panelist at the event.
The company itself received a nomination in the Most Promising Startup category, drawing attention for its user-centred approach to finance and its focus on the creative economy.
The Smarg leadership team also includes Clement Johnson, Co-Founder and Head of Marketing, and Ahmad-Tijani Bashorun, Product and Design Lead.
One of Smarg’s flagship offerings is a device financing feature that has enabled the purchase of approximately 250 laptops for professionals, with the company recording a 100% repayment rate to date.
