Artisan Economy of Aba Gets Boost with Shoptreo's Global Expansion Funding

Artisan Economy of Aba Gets Boost with Shoptreo's Global Expansion Funding

In a move to tap into the global demand for premium handcrafted goods, Nigerian e-commerce startup Shoptreo has secured an investment from pan-African early-stage investor Rebel Seed Capital. Established in 2021 by George Uteh and Emmanuel Jacobs, Shoptreo aims to digitally connect grassroots artisans, particularly leatherworkers in the Aba Artisanal Leather Cluster, to international markets.

The funding will be utilized to scale artisan onboarding, upgrade the platform, strengthen logistics and financial service partnerships, and enhance the platform to support global sales and B2B logistics. Shoptreo's strategy addresses challenges in informal manufacturing hubs such as limited digital infrastructure, inadequate financing, and restricted export access.

The Shoptreo platform provides digital storefronts, inventory and order management features, built-in logistics and payment solutions, and inventory financing options. This empowers artisans to enter international markets while preserving their unique identity and traditional craftsmanship.

George Uteh, CEO of Shoptreo, believes that Rebel Seed Capital shares their commitment to uplifting overlooked sectors of the economy. Emeka Okoye, Managing Partner at Rebel Seed Capital, sees the Aba Artisanal Leather Cluster as holding immense untapped potential for wealth creation through digital transformation.

The investment has significantly impacted the Aba Artisanal Leather Cluster by enabling the digitization and formalization of its traditionally informal artisanal supply chains. This funding supports Shoptreo in scaling its operations to provide grassroots leather artisans in Aba with digital storefronts, inventory and order management, integrated logistics, and payment solutions, thereby making it easier to access both domestic and international markets.

The investment helps showcase Aba’s premium leather craftsmanship globally, unlocks wealth creation potential within the cluster, and addresses cash flow challenges common among bulk buyers and distributors through inventory financing. This partnership is accelerating the cluster’s transformation through digital tools that formalize artisanal businesses, streamline operations, and connect them to global demand for handcrafted leather goods.

Rebel Seed Capital’s backing reflects confidence in the latent economic opportunity within the Aba leather hub and aims to uplift an overlooked sector with global growth ambitions. The CEO of Shoptreo highlighted that Rebel Seed’s support is pivotal for scaling and internationalizing Aba’s artisan economy. Overall, the investment marks a strategic step toward modernizing the artisanal supply chain ecosystem in Aba, contributing to economic empowerment and market expansion for local leatherworkers.

[1] Shoptreo press release, link [2] Rebel Seed Capital press release, link [3] Article on TechCabal, link

1. The funding secured by Shoptreo from Rebel Seed Capital will not only be used to scale artisan onboarding but also to enhance the platform with features that support global sales and B2B logistics, leveraging technology to address challenges in informal manufacturing hubs and create opportunities in the business of investing in handcrafted goods.
2. The investment by Rebel Seed Capital in Shoptreo is strategically poised to uplift the overlooked Aba Artisanal Leather Cluster by providing digital tools, thereby formalizing artisanal businesses, streamlining operations, connecting them to global demand for handcrafted leather goods, and contributing to economic empowerment and market expansion for local leatherworkers, all while showcasing Aba’s premium leather craftsmanship globally and unlocking wealth creation potential through digital transformation.

Read also: