In a statement released on Sunday, the company’s Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Taivo Saks, highlighted the need to remove barriers that prevent MSMEs from fully participating in the digital economy.
Addressing Barriers to Digital Adoption
Saks acknowledged that many Nigerian business owners are hesitant to embrace digital platforms due to challenges such as cyber fraud, affordability, and limited digital literacy.
“Our mission is to break down those barriers and make technology a trustworthy ally,” he said.
Shopnest Africa aims to make online selling accessible by offering simple, secure e-commerce tools tailored for Nigeria’s growing community of online vendors. The platform integrates seamlessly with popular social media channels, enabling small businesses to embrace digital sales with ease.
Building a Supportive Digital Ecosystem
Saks described Shopnest as a vital support system for small businesses navigating economic uncertainty.
“We want Shopnest to be the lifebuoy that keeps online business owners afloat during turbulent times,” he said.
The company is building what it calls a digital ecosystem designed to support small businesses from their early stages to maturity. By providing easy-to-use tools and training, Shopnest aims to empower MSMEs to overcome structural challenges like high operational costs, limited funding access, and low digital skills.
Embracing Social Commerce for Long-Term Success
Saks stressed that as MSMEs are increasingly recognised as drivers of innovation, employment, and economic resilience, adopting social commerce is now essential.
“Any online vendor unwilling to embrace digital selling tools in 2025 risks being left behind,” he warned. “The age of social commerce is no longer coming. It is already here, and Shopnest Africa is at the helm.”
Marking World MSME Day
This year’s World MSME Day is themed ‘Enhancing the Role of Micro-, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises as Drivers of Sustainable Growth and Innovation’.
Saks said that despite decades of digital transformation in Africa, many MSMEs continue to face persistent structural barriers. Shopnest Africa’s approach is to deliver practical, locally relevant solutions that will position Nigerian MSMEs for long-term digital success.