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By Funsho Arogundade
A new digital marketplace is preparing to reshape the way the world discovers and buys African creativity. United Kingdom-based Nigerian entrepreneur, Tope Abuloye, is leading this charge.
The vehicle is Sokofa —a brand founded by Abuloye to bring the richness of Africa’s creativity and craftsmanship to the world through honest, beautiful African imports.
Soon-to-be-launched Sokofa is coming with a bold mission: connect African artisans, designers, and producers directly with global buyers through technology driven storytelling and simplified international trade. Before this venture, Abuloye co-founded BuyAvrika LLC, a digital platform that promoted African craftsmanship and introduced new audiences to African art and culture. Sokofa now expands this impact to a full range of African made products including fashion, homeware, natural beauty products, and visual art.
One of Sokofa’s standout innovations is the Online Tailor feature. Buyers can submit their measurements directly to tailors for custom made outfits, offering a seamless digital solution for African fashion lovers worldwide. The platform also includes a Verified Seller Programme, secure payment integrations that support African financial systems, and automatic logistics processing for global shipping. These tools were developed to address long standing challenges faced by African entrepreneurs such as restricted payouts, high listing fees, and limited export support on mainstream e-commerce platforms.
“We want to give African creators the visibility, tools, and fair opportunities they deserve. Sokofa is not just a shop. It is a storytelling space where millions of people can engage with culture and creativity in a genuine way,” said Abuloye, who holds degrees in Marketing and Entrepreneurship from Edinburgh Napier University in Scotland and Obafemi Awolowo University in Nigeria.
He explains that Sokofa was built from a deep belief that African creators deserve better access to global value and Sokofa will operate globally from day one. The platform has already begun onboarding sellers across multiple African countries in preparation for launch. Vendors have praised its culturally authentic approach and user friendly dashboard which allows them to showcase products along with the stories and traditions behind them. This combination of commerce and culture is central to Sokofa’s identity. As launch approaches, Sokofa is positioning itself as part of a new wave of digital trade that empowers African entrepreneurs, elevates cultural pride, and brings diverse creative expression to the centre of global commerce.
