E-Business
Alerzo Believes they Can Build Another Lagos in Ibadan
By Sam Adeoye
At this moment in time, long, hot traffic jams are becoming a thing in Ibadan. The folks who live in that city are half-proud of this congestion because it sorts of presents them with a shared experience with the too-cool-for-school Lagosians. On the other hand, however, they desperately hate it because the whole point of Ibadan is that it’s less insane than Lagos — hustle-wise.
But my point with this article isn’t about the hustle or the bustle. It’s about the likelihood of replicating the vibrant tech ecosystem of Lagos in another Nigerian city. In this case, Ibadan.
You might think I’m only being delusional with this idea, but one brilliant start-up is suggesting that it is indeed possible to build a tech giant from over there. This start-up, ladies and gentlemen, is called Alerzo.
If you’ve never heard of Alerzo, consider yourself forgiven. I myself only knew of it last week when I had a conversation with the serial entrepreneur and start-up mentor known as Opeyemi Awoyemi. As you may recall, Mr Awoyemi has been a cofounder of some tech juggernauts, namely Jobberman, Whogohost, TalentQL, and Moneymie.
In the course of our chat, I asked Opeyemi this question: Now that Lagos has attained this reputation as Africa’s most vibrant start-up hub, is it possible to replicate the success of Lagos elsewhere within Nigeria?
As it turned out, this was a question he’d been giving a lot of thought. So, to me, he immediately said, Well, it depends. “Name a city and let’s talk about it.”
To which I said, “Ibadan.”
“Brilliant,” he said.
See, Ibadan has a lot going for it. One, it is West Africa’s largest city. It is also close to Lagos — just about 120km. Besides, one of Nigeria’s most active universities, as far as tech entrepreneurship is concerned, is only 75km away from Ibadan. I’m talking about the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, aka OAU. Some of Nigeria’s best-funded tech companies were founded or cofounded by OAU alumni. Nomba (formerly Kudi), Farmcrowdy, 54Gene, SlimTrader, and PropertyPro are some of those companies.
Two, operating in Ibadan is considerably cheaper than it is Lagos. For instance, a four-room duplex in suburban Ibadan will rent for N1.8 million per year. Take a similar location in Lagos and the same property won’t cost you less than N3 million.
Then, there’s the new rail line that makes it easy to be headquartered in Ibadan and never miss ecosystem meetups and corporate meetings in Lagos. When the Lagos-Ibadan expressway is finally completed, it too should further shorten the distance between the two cities.
In the meantime, no other company is making better use of Ibadan’s remarkable standing than Alerzo.
Founded by Adewale Opaleye in 2018 to help small retailers stock their shops directly from manufacturers, Alerzo has raised more than $20 million in its seed and series A rounds. And it got some pretty savvy investors behind it, too. Big names such as the Africa-focused accelerator, Baobab Network; the Singapore-based Signal Hill; the London-based Nosara Capital; FJ Labs; and several family offices from Europe, Asia, and the US have put major money behind Alerzo, according to reporting by TechCrunch.
Opaleye, who is himself a native Ibadan man and the son of a mom-and-pop shop owner, has said his big idea for Alerzo came from watching his mother’s “many challenges”. The old lady, he said, ran two stores while raising four kids. So, Opaleye told TechCrunch, “I decided to start a business that uniquely catered to the needs of retailers just like her.”
While solving a problem close to home might sound pretty cool, the coolest part of this man’s idea is that it doesn’t even bother to recruit clients from Lagos, at least not yet. Yes, it does have a “Lagos Hub” in Victoria Island, but it has concentrated its business on Ibadan, Abeokuta, Ekiti and other towns like them in Southwest Nigeria. The company refers to these locations as Tier-2 to Tier-4 cities.
In just three years, Alerzo says its customer base has now expanded into about 100,000 small business in these towns. Through Alerzo, these retailers receive supplies from mega consumer goods manufacturers like Dangote, Nestlé, Procter & Gamble, and PZ Cussons.
Isn’t that something? Who would have thought that a billion-dollar tech-enabled logistics and FMCG supply company could spring from slow-paced Ibadan? I mean, for years, if you’d asked any of the thousands of young people relocating from Ibadan why they were hightailing it to Lagos, Nigeria’s most crowded metropolis, their answer was always direct and fast: “there’s no money in that town.”
Now, thankfully, it appears that things can be different. It’s just that for things to actually change, people would have to make them… change.
This is what Opeyemi Awoyemi was talking about. “Each State [of Nigeria] can look at the situation of the economy and decide what they want to be,” he said to me.
That’s indeed true. And pretty straightforward, too. There’s just so much that Lagos can do for Nigerian entrepreneurs. Because its resources are limited, competition for those resources will continue to drive up the cost of starting, and running, a business here. Which then presents an extraordinary opportunity to neighbouring States — for a start, Ogun and Oyo (which has Ibadan as its capital). These States can choose what role they’d like to play in this flourishing tech economy.
In this new era of WFH and remote employment, for example, all barriers to talent location are crashing down. Both TalentQL— the tech staffing recruitment portal, and uLesson — the on-demand tutoring company — have proven that, if you can set up Wi-Fi there, you can situate your software engineers and designers there. It doesn’t matter if it’s the pristine locality of Ile-Ife down in the south or the chilly hills of Jos, near the country’s centre.
And with Alerzo, the eye of the government should open to the truth about enabling environments for tech enterprise. Sometimes all it takes to encourage new ventures is an acceptance of new thinking. That and a transportation system that works, dedicated real estate layouts, and (or) tax breaks. When you make your place conducive for creators, and make sure they hear about it, and they’ll come.
Today, we talk about Nigerian start-ups being Delaware (USA) companies. There’s a reason Delaware became the go-to American state to register new corporations. As Mr Awoyemi said, Delaware decided what it wanted to be and it went straight for it.
Hopefully a Nigerian governor or one of his aides will read this article. Hopefully, it will start a conversation in their cabinet. Hopefully, they will do something life-changing with it.
Kashifu Inuwa, CCIE, the Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has disclosed that the Agency’s partnership with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has put Nigeria’s Startup ecosystem on the global map.
He made this statement during a meeting with JICA President, Dr. Akihiko Tanaka when he visited the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR) in Abuja, a Special Purpose Vehicle office established by NITDA.
While highlighting the impact of the Agency’s partnership with JICA Inuwa, stated that “Through this collaboration, we have sponsored Nigerian startups to participate in tech exhibitions and conferences across Africa and the Middle East.
“Additionally, we’ve connected them with Japanese corporations, such as Mitsubishi, resulting in Training for 112 startup founders from 56 companies and creation of over 300 direct jobs in Nigeria
He said, “Established in 2001, NITDA’s mandate is to implement the national IT policy. At inception, less than 500,000 Nigerians had access to computers. Today, we have made significant progress in bridging the digital divide.” He noted that there is significant growth in Nigeria’s ICT sector, from less than 0.5 per cent to over 16 per cent of GDP, with 120 million citizens now having computer access.
Inuwa, citing the World Bank research predicting a global talent deficit of 85 million by 2030, potentially leading to $8.5 trillion in lost annual value, he, however, suggested that to bridge this looming gap, “A strategic talent pipeline between Nigeria and Japan can leverage Nigeria’s youthful population to address Japan’s aging workforce challenges, creating a symbiotic partnership.”
He noted that NITDA has articulated its Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP 2.0). Outlining the eight key pillars to drive Nigeria’s digital transformation, the NITDA boss emphasized that while Fostering Digital Literacy and Cultivating, which will drive the development of a skilled workforce to drive Nigeria’s digital economy, Building of a Robust Technology Research Ecosystem will encourage innovation and R&D in emerging technologies.
The NITDA boss said, “The Agency also plans to strengthen policy implementation and legal framework, promoting inclusive access to digital infrastructure and services, strengthen cybersecurity, enhance digital trust and nurture an innovative and entrepreneurial ecosystem and build a strategic partnership and collaboration.
He added that the Agency will focus on internal transformation and reforms so the agency can be more agile and have an environment that is psychologically safe for everyone to contribute.
“Internally, NITDA is undergoing transformational reforms to enhance agility and foster a psychologically safe work environment, encouraging active contribution from all stakeholders.”
In his remarks, Dr. Tanaka praised NITDA’s dedication, stating that partnering with NITDA was a wise decision due to its vital role in global development.
He emphasized that co-creation is JICA’s guiding principle, adding that the approach aligns with JICA’s mission to collaborate with organisations like NITDA to drive growth and address global challenges.
“Co-creation is the overarching principle guiding our activities, especially in harnessing information technology to drive sustainable development. Additionally, JICA acknowledges Nigeria’s proactive strides in advancing information technology and Artificial Intelligence, and we are committed to collaborating on these endeavours,” he noted.
While stressing that the strategic application of these technologies will foster a surge in startup creation among young entrepreneurs in Nigeria, he advocated for harnessing the creative potential of young engineers, scientists, and entrepreneurs to develop innovative solutions that enhance societal well-being.
Okra, Nigerian fintech startu, has launched a new cloud infrastructure service, making it the latest of several startups in the country that aim to provide a local alternative to cloud giants like Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure.
David Peterside and Ashiru Jituboh, Okra
According to a post on LinkedIn, Okra’s “Nebula” is an infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) offering built on Tier 3 and Tier 4 data centres.
Okra said the service offers low latency and reliability “on par with global players like AWS and Azure” with less than two hours downtime a year.
Okra also said Nebula is specifically designed to comply with local data residency laws.
However, the biggest selling point is that Nebula customers can pay in naira or other local currencies “for predictable and more affordable rates.”
That’s a key provision for companies in Nigeria (as well as other countries in Africa) where currency devaluation and fluctuating foreign currency exchange rates often have a serious impact on the bottom line. Foreign cloud providers typically charge only in US dollars.
Fara Ashiru,CEO, Okra, said in the LinkedIn post that Nebula presents a viable and cost-effective alternative to AWS and Azure, who currently dominate Nigeria’s cloud market.
“For too long, Africa has leaned on imported solutions, paying premiums for software and services – but as we say, ‘Yes, there is rice at home!’,” she said. “And now, there’s a cloud built here, for us, and it’s just as good – if not better.”
Ashiru added that Okra’s own infrastructure is already using Nebula. “The first round of access is already with our incredible partners. The next round opens soon.”
Okra first announced plans for Nebula in July after securing US$16.5 million in funding and the backing of VC firm TLcom.
Okra got its start offering open APIs for banks and financial service providers to access customer data, but decided to shift its focus to cloud infrastructure as the open-banking market was too small and competitive, according to African investment firm Daba.
Okra also faces healthy competition in Nigeria’s cloud market from startups like Nobus, Galaxy and Layer3, all of whom are also positioning themselves as an alternative to AWS and Azure and offering payment in local currencies.
Learn how to sell your Amazon gift cards for cash in Nigeria and Ghana quickly and securely with Cardtonic. Get the best rates and instant payments today.
You know that moment when you open a gift from a distant auntie or an old school friend, and it’s an Amazon gift card? You smile, thank them, but deep down you’re thinking, “What am I supposed to do with this here in Nigeria (or Ghana)?” It’s not like you can walk into the local mall and hand over your Amazon card for a plate of jollof, right?
But before you toss that card aside or start planning who to re-gift it to, there’s a better idea: Sell it. Yep, you can convert that Amazon gift card into cash. Actual Naira or Cedis you can use to settle that pressing data bundle or even dash your account some extra change.
In this guide, we’ll walk through the best places to sell gift cards, like Amazon in Nigeria and Ghana, how to do it easily on platforms like Cardtonic, and why Cardtonic is basically your best bet. Let’s get started.
Where To Sell Amazon Gift Cards In Nigeria And Ghana
So, let’s talk about where exactly you can convert that Amazon gift card to naira or cedis. Now, there are a few places people typically try—some more reliable than others. You’ve got platforms like Jiji and even Facebook Marketplace, where you can put your gift card up for sale and hope someone’s interested.
The catch? You’re relying on individual buyers. That means lots of back-and-forth, waiting for offers, and sometimes dealing with unserious buyers who’ll disappear once it’s time to pay. It’s not exactly the smoothest experience, especially when you need cash fast.
And honestly, no one has time for that. That’s why Cardtonic stands out. It’s the smarter, faster way to sell Amazon gift cards in Nigeria and Ghana without all the unnecessary wahala.
Cardtonic offers you an instant transaction process, competitive rates, and, most importantly, the peace of mind that comes with using a trusted platform.
At the end of the day, selling on random platforms might work for some people, but why gamble with your money when you can go straight to a trusted platform like Cardtonic and get it done with zero hassle?
How To Sell Amazon Gift Card On Cardtonic
Now that we’ve established why Cardtonic is the best option for selling your Amazon gift cards, let’s get into the “how.” Thankfully, the process is simple. First, download the Cardtonic app. On the dashboard, click “sell gift card,” select the gift card category and subcategory, upload the gift card picture, and click submit.
- Open the Cardtonic app and click on the “Sell Gift Card” button. This takes you straight to the part where you get to trade that Amazon gift card for cash.
- Now, you’ll need to select the gift card category. Since we’re talking about Amazon gift cards here, you’ll want to pick that option from the list of categories.
- After that, pick the subcategory. For instance, if you’re holding a US Amazon gift card with a value of $25–49, that’s the one you should select.
- Enter the amount on your card. It could be $10, $25, or whatever is printed on your Amazon gift card. This part ensures you get the correct rate.
- If you have an e-code, you can simply input the code. But if it’s a physical card, you’ll need to upload a clear picture of both the front and back of the card. Make sure the code is visible, or you’ll end up having to redo it.
- Hit the Proceed button. Almost there! You’ll see a summary page that lets you double-check everything—this is the part where you make sure all the details are correct before moving on.
- Finally, review the trade terms to ensure you’re comfortable with the deal, then click Submit and you’re done!
Within a short time, your transaction will be processed, and your cash will be sitting pretty in your Cardtonic wallet, ready for you to withdraw into your bank account. That’s how easy it is to sell your Amazon gift card on Cardtonic.
3 Reasons Why You Should Trade Your Amazon Gift Card On Cardtonic
Now, you’re probably wondering, “Why Cardtonic, though? What makes it stand out?” I mean, there are other platforms and even Facebook groups where people claim to buy gift cards online, right? Well, Cardtonic offers competitive rates, a secure platform, and fast transactions—making it the best choice for anyone looking to sell their gift cards in Nigeria and Ghana.
- Competitive Rates:
We all know how frustrating it can be when someone tries to “price” your gift card as if you’re begging them. On Cardtonic, you won’t get those ridiculous offers that make you feel like you’re being cheated.
The platform consistently offers some of the best rates in the market, so you know you’re getting good value for your Amazon gift card. No one wants to sell a $100 gift card only to get peanuts in return. With Cardtonic, you’re getting a fair deal, every time.
- Fast Transactions:
You know how in Nigeria and Ghana, when someone says, “I’ll pay you tomorrow,” that tomorrow can stretch into next week? Yeah, none of that with Cardtonic.
Once you submit your trade, the process is fast and reliable. You can expect to have the money in your Cardtonic wallet in minutes, and from there, it’s just a quick transfer to your bank account.
- Trusted and Secure:
This one is a no-brainer. When dealing with money online, especially in places where “419” (scam) stories are all too common, security is everything. Cardtonic is a trusted platform with thousands of users who’ve been trading safely for years.
Your information and transaction details are protected, and there’s no risk of waking up to find that your gift card (and money) has vanished into thin air. The app is secure, and the transactions are transparent. You’re in safe hands.
Frequently Asked Questions About Converting Amazon Gift Cards To Cash
- Can An Amazon Card Be Used In Ghana?
Technically, yes, Amazon gift cards can be used in Ghana, but there is a big catch: Amazon doesn’t have a local marketplace in Ghana (or Nigeria, for that matter). This means you can use your gift card to shop on Amazon’s international sites, like Amazon.com, but you’ll still need to factor in shipping costs and wait times to get items delivered to Ghana.
- How Do I Convert My Amazon Gift Card To Naira?
The quickest way to convert your Amazon gift card to Naira is by using Cardtonic. Simply open the app or website, click on “Sell Gift Card,” select Amazon as your gift card category, and follow the steps to complete the trade. Within minutes, you’ll have the Naira equivalent in your wallet, which you can then withdraw directly into your bank account.
- Can You Transfer Money From Amazon Gift Card To Bank Account?
Unfortunately, you can’t directly transfer the balance from an Amazon gift card to a bank account. Amazon gift cards are meant to be used for purchases on Amazon’s platforms. However, platforms like Cardtonic allow you to sell your Amazon gift card for cash, which you can then withdraw into your bank account.
- Can You Send An Amazon Gift Card To Someone Else?
Absolutely! Amazon gift cards are meant to be shared. Whether it’s a birthday gift or a token of appreciation, you can send an Amazon gift card to anyone via email or even as a physical card. The recipient can then choose to use the card to shop on Amazon or, like we’ve been discussing, sell it for cash.
- Where Can I Sell My Amazon Gift Card Instantly?
If you’re looking to sell your Amazon gift card instantly, Cardtonic is the best option. With its fast and reliable service, you can trade your Amazon gift card and get your cash in minutes.
Conclusion
Turning your Amazon gift card into cash in Nigeria or Ghana is quick and easy with Cardtonic. You get great rates, fast transactions, and a secure platform that takes all the stress out of selling your gift cards. Whether you’re looking to convert your card into Naira or Cedis, Cardtonic makes the process seamless.
Ready to get started? Download the Cardtonic app today and trade your gift card for cash instantly.
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