By Moses Nosike

As mobile and social commerce in Nigeria continues to soar, accounting for over 70% of online transactions and projected to hit US$20 billion by 2025, a new player is transforming the market. 440 Technology Limited, an AI-powered shopping aggregator, is addressing a crucial gap by revolutionizing how Nigerian consumers and retailers discover products and deals globally.

Nigerian merchants and small businesses have long struggled with the inefficiency of scouring multiple international platforms to find the best products at competitive prices. Gracious Akande, CEO of 440 Technology, explains, “Our merchants were spending countless hours navigating through platforms like Alibaba, Shein, Amazon, and Aliexpress. This often required downloading and using numerous apps, making the process cumbersome and time-consuming.”

Beyond the logistical nightmare, merchants also grappled with the complexities of international payments, frequently needing to source foreign currencies like dollars, yuan, and rupees, while contending with unpredictable exchange rates. “Merchants were constantly scrambling for different currencies to pay for their products, contending with speculative exchange rates,” Akande adds.

To tackle these challenges, 440 Technology developed a comprehensive mobile app that aggregates data from over 10,000 international stores spanning more than 100 countries. This platform provides users access to over 100,000 daily deals and discounts, streamlined through advanced API integration and an AI engine designed for real-time price discovery and comparison.

Elijah Ogunle, COO of 440 Technology, highlights the platform’s unique approach: “We don’t aim to compete with global e-commerce giants. Instead, we bring every marketplace together on one platform.” This unified approach simplifies the shopping experience, allowing users to interact with a single app to shop from various sources, including Alibaba, Flipkart, Shein, Instagram, eBay, and Jumia.

One of the platform’s standout features is its ability to facilitate payments in local currencies. This innovation eliminates a significant barrier for many Nigerian consumers and retailers, who previously had to manage multiple currencies and fluctuating exchange rates. The platform’s intelligent curation ensures that users are consistently presented with relevant and affordable options tailored to their preferences.

Additionally, 440 Technology has discovered that 89% of their customers appreciate being notified when deals in their preferred product categories appear. They also benefit from connections to affordable logistics services for delivery, further enhancing the platform’s utility.

Looking ahead, 440 Technology aims to scale its operations globally, with a particular focus on the African diaspora. Beginning in Q3, the company plans to launch a selective diaspora rollout. “Nigerians abroad are requesting orders from merchants back home in a trusted, digital, and hassle-free manner,” Akande explains. “We believe we can be that platform that simplifies the commerce experience for Africans globally.”

440 Technology Limited is a pioneering shopping aggregator that connects Africans to millions of products, deals, merchants, and payment opportunities across over 100 countries. Their platform, accessible on the Playstore and Appstore, is poised to become an indispensable tool for Nigerian shoppers and merchants, fostering economic growth and streamlining global commerce.

As 440 Technology continues to innovate and expand, it stands as a beacon of technological advancement in the Nigerian e-commerce landscape, setting new standards for convenience and efficiency in global shopping.