Grow with 9jafinds: Information for Partners & Investors

About the Business

Key Highlights

• Rapidly Growing Niche Marketplace: 9jafinds.com is a leading online marketplace and community platform dedicated to connecting the global Nigerian diaspora with authentic Nigerian products, services, and culture. We’ve seen consistent month-over-month growth in users and transactions.
• Strong Diaspora Focus: We directly address the underserved market of millions of Nigerians living abroad, eager for a taste of home and a connection to their roots. Our platform facilitates this by bringing Nigerian sellers to a global stage.
• Multiple Revenue Streams: We generate revenue through seller commissions, premium listing fees, and targeted advertising opportunities for Nigerian businesses looking to reach the diaspora. (Future: Event ticketing, specialized service facilitation).
• High User Engagement & Community: Beyond commerce, we foster a vibrant online community. Our users engage with culturally relevant content, news, and events, leading to strong brand loyalty and organic growth.
• Scalable Technology Platform: Our custom-built platform is designed for scalability, with features supporting multiple languages (English, French, Italian, Dutch, Spanish,  and 8 others, with Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa planned), international payments, and a growing vendor base.
• Clear Path to €1M+ Valuation: With demonstrated traction, a large addressable market, and a strategic plan for expansion fueled by this investment, we are on a clear trajectory to exceed a €1,000,000 valuation within the convertible note period.
• Experienced & Passionate Founding Team: We, the founders, have deep roots in the Nigerian community, coupled with expertise in e-commerce, technology, and marketing.

Biggest Opportunities for a New Owner (Investor Partnership)

• Aggressive User Acquisition: This investment will primarily fuel targeted digital marketing campaigns in key diaspora markets (North America, UK, Europe) and influencer collaborations to significantly expand our user base and transaction volume.
• Mobile App Development: Launching dedicated iOS and Android apps to enhance user experience, increase engagement, and unlock new features like location-based services and push notifications. Current metrics show 70% mobile web traffic.
• Expansion of Service Offerings: Introducing new categories like professional services (legal, financial, tailored to diaspora needs), online courses (Nigerian languages, cooking), and curated travel experiences to Nigeria.
• Logistics & Payment Partnerships: Streamlining international shipping and payment processes through strategic partnerships to reduce costs and improve convenience for buyers and sellers.
• Data-Driven Personalization: Leveraging user data (ethically) to offer personalized shopping experiences, recommendations, and targeted promotions, increasing conversion rates and customer lifetime value.
• B2B Services for Nigerian Exporters: Developing a premium suite of tools and services to help Nigerian SMEs export their products more effectively through our platform.

Operations

• What the business does. How do you make money? 9jafinds.com is a multi-vendor e-commerce marketplace and community portal.

  • Marketplace: We enable Nigerian sellers (individuals and businesses) to list and sell physical products (fashion, art, food, books, etc.) and digital products/services to a global audience, primarily the Nigerian diaspora to be onboarded soon.
  • Community Portal: We publish news, articles, and event listings relevant to the Nigerian community globally, driving traffic and engagement.
  • Revenue Streams (Current TTM):
    1. Sales Commission: 10-15% commission on all transactions completed through the 9jafinds Shop platform. (Approx. 70% of TTM revenue).
    2. Premium Vendor Subscriptions: Monthly fees for enhanced seller features (e.g., more listings, better visibility, analytics). (Approx. 20% of TTM revenue).
    3. On-Platform Advertising: Fees from businesses advertising their services/products to our targeted audience. (Approx. 10% of TTM revenue).

• What needs to be done for this business to keep it running? Specify details around the estimated time commitment in hours/per  week. Currently, the core operations require approximately 60-70 hours per week, managed by the founding team and two part-time freelancers:  

  1. 9jafinds.com

  9jafinds.com.com/shop
  • Platform Management & Tech (15-20 hrs/week): Website maintenance, bug fixes, minor feature updates, server monitoring. (Plan to hire a dedicated part-time developer post-investment).
  • Vendor Onboarding & Support (15 hrs/week): Vetting new sellers, assisting with store setup, responding to vendor queries.
  • Customer Support (10-15 hrs/week): Responding to buyer inquiries, managing disputes, processing refunds/returns.
  • Marketing & Content Creation (15 hrs/week): Social media management, email marketing, blog content, SEO optimization, ad campaign management. (Key area for investment to scale).
  • Financial & Admin (5 hrs/week): Bookkeeping, payment reconciliation, reporting.

Customers

• Provide information about the nature of your customers.
  • Buyers: Primarily Nigerian diaspora aged 25-55 living in North America (USA), Europe (UK, Germany, France, Ireland), and other countries with significant Nigerian populations. They are tech-savvy, active on social media, and seek authentic Nigerian products and a connection to their culture. Secondary buyer segment includes non-Nigerians interested in African culture and products.
  • Sellers: Nigerian-based SMEs, artisans, entrepreneurs, and service providers seeking access to the global market.
• How do you acquire customers?
  • Social Media Marketing (40%): Active presence and targeted ads on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and diaspora-focused online forums. We highlight Nigerian culture, seller stories, and product features.
  • Content Marketing & SEO (30%): Our blog features articles on Nigerian culture, news, and lifestyle, attracting organic traffic. We are steadily improving our search engine rankings for keywords like “buy Nigerian products online,” “Nigerian market diaspora.”
  • Community Engagement & Referrals (20%): Virtual events, partnerships with diaspora organizations, and word-of-mouth from satisfied users. We have a referral program in beta.
  • Paid Search (PPC) (10%): Google Ads campaigns targeting specific diaspora locations and product searches. (To be scaled with investment).
• Are they mainly domestic or international?
  • Buyers: ~90% International (Diaspora), ~10% Domestic (Nigeria).
  • Sellers: ~65% Domestic (Nigeria), ~35% Diaspora sellers.
• Are they engaged and loyal? Do you have repeat customers? Yes, we see strong engagement:
  • Repeat Customer Rate: Approximately 35% of buyers have made more than one purchase in the last 12 months.
  • Email Open Rates: Average 28% for our weekly newsletters.
  • Social Media Engagement: Average 5% engagement rate on posts, with viral reach on several culturally relevant campaigns.
  • Time on Site: Average 4.5 minutes per session, indicating users are Browsing and engaging with content.

Financials (Trailing 12 Months – DEMO VALUES)

The business has shown significant growth over the past 12 months, driven by increased brand awareness, strategic vendor acquisition, and effective marketing initiatives. Revenue is primarily from sales commissions, with growing contributions from premium seller subscriptions and advertising.

• COGS/Platform Fees: Includes payment processing fees, commissions to our affiliates.
• Operations: Includes freelancer costs, software subscriptions (hosting, email marketing tools, etc.), basic admin. (Founder salaries are not withdrawn, profits are reinvested – typical for SDE calculation).
• SDE/Net Profit: Seller Discretionary Earnings. This represents the profit before owner’s compensation and non-essential business expenses.

Financial Anomalies/Seasonality:

• We observe a significant uptick in sales during Q4 (October-December) due to festive shopping (Christmas, end-of-year) and diaspora members sending gifts or purchasing items for holiday celebrations.
• Minor peaks are also seen around cultural events and holidays specific to the Nigerian calendar when promoted.
• There’s typically a slight dip in January post-holidays, which we counter with targeted promotions.
• The consistent month-over-month growth outside of Q4 indicates a strong underlying expansion of our user base and brand recognition.

Additional Notes

• Evolution of the Business: 9jafinds.com was launched 1.5 years ago with a vision to create a digital bridge for the Nigerian diaspora.
  • Year 1: Focused on platform development, initial vendor acquisition (100+ sellers), and building a foundational social media presence. Achieved first 1,000 registered users.
  • Year 2: Expanded marketing efforts, introduced premium seller features, and grew GMV by 300%. Focused on community building through online events and content.
  • Last 6-12 Months (Current Traction): Significant acceleration in user acquisition and revenue. Weve had over 41,750 page views, Onboarded key anchor vendors in popular categories. Achieved over 1100 registered users and an average of 1.5% monthly paid users. Our marketing efforts have led to features in several diaspora blogs and media outlets.
• Team: The core team consists of 2 dedicated founders with backgrounds in tech, e-commerce, and marketing, deeply embedded in the Nigerian community. We are supported by 2 part-time remote freelancers for customer support and content moderation. This investment will allow us to hire key full-time roles (Marketing Manager, Developer).
• Intellectual Property: The 9jafinds.com brand name, domain, and custom platform code are company assets.
• Competitive Landscape: While there are general e-commerce platforms and some smaller niche players, 9jafinds.com differentiates itself through its strong community focus, curated selection of authentic Nigerian goods/services, and deep cultural understanding catering specifically to the diaspora. Our “social commerce” approach fosters greater trust and engagement.

Investment ask: 150,000 euros for 19% Equity Stake of the business.

• Use of Investment Funds (Breakdown of €150,000):
  • Marketing & User Acquisition (40% – €60,000): Targeted digital advertising, influencer marketing, content creation, SEO/SEM.
  • Technology & Product Development (30% – €45,000): Mobile app development (iOS & Android), platform enhancements (AI-powered recommendations, improved vendor tools).
  • Team Expansion (20% – €30,000): Hiring a full-time Marketing Manager and a part-time Developer.
  • Operational Scaling (10% – €15,000): Improving customer support infrastructure, legal/compliance for new markets.
• Vision for the Future: To be the undisputed #1 global platform for all things Nigerian commerce and community, connecting millions of Nigerians abroad with the best of their homeland, and empowering tens of thousands of Nigerian businesses to thrive internationally. This investment is the catalyst to achieve that vision.

We are confident that these figures and the outlined strategy showcase the immense potential of 9jafinds.com. We are eager to partner with an investor who shares our vision and can help us accelerate our growth.

Send a mail to admin@9jafinds.com if interested in partnering with the platform.

We look forward to discussing this opportunity further.

9jafinds Team.