Startups

SefRel Shop: Redefining What It Means to “Buy Nigerian”

Martha Odutola3 days Ago1 Mins read5

Written by Martha Odutola

For decades, a strong preference for imported goods has shaped Nigeria’s consumer culture. This bias has hurt local businesses and reinforced the “Aba-made” stereotype, a dismissive label for Nigerian-made products perceived as cheap or substandard.

Government campaigns like “Buy Naija to Grow the Naira” have tried to shift this mindset, but with limited success. Changing deep-seated perceptions requires more than slogans; it needs infrastructure, visibility, and trust.

Enter SefRel Shop, an e-commerce marketplace co-founded by software engineer Ridwan Akinola. Launched in late 2024, the platform is betting on a simple but powerful idea: if Nigerians can easily find and trust locally made products, they will buy them.

A Marketplace for Nigerian-Made Goods

SefRel Shop, short for self-reliance, exclusively sells Nigerian-made goods. From fashion and beauty to household essentials, the platform gives local businesses a stage to showcase their products and compete on quality rather than just price.

By focusing on logistics and trust, SefRel Shop is solving two of the biggest challenges for local sellers:

Visibility: Bringing Nigerian-made products to a wider audience.

Credibility: Ensuring quality and reliability through vetted sellers and secure transactions.

A Movement, Not Just a Marketplace

SefRel Shop’s mission is bigger than sales. It’s about reshaping consumer pride, making it a point of prestige to “Buy Nigerian” rather than a compromise. If successful, the platform could change how local goods are perceived and help drive real growth for small businesses across the country.

With SefRel Shop, buying local isn’t just patriotic. It’s smart, stylish, and sustainable.