Dear Friends, Partners, and Community Members,

At CoAmana, everything we do begins and ends with community. From the very start, our mission has never been about technology on its own, but about people. Our approach has been simple and consistent: one farmer at a time, one trader at a time, one market at a time. Over the years, we have seen how these small steps build into something powerful. When you take care of the individual, the entire community begins to transform.

When I think back to the early days of CoAmana, I see a small, modest office filled with a few determined people and a big dream. We had no blueprint and no guarantees. What we had was conviction. We believed that Africa’s marketplaces were the beating heart of our economies. We believed that if we could make trade easier, safer, and more inclusive for the farmers and traders who work tirelessly every day, then we could unlock something extraordinary.

Those early days were full of learning. We walked through markets, sat with farmers, listened to traders, and tried to understand the weight of their challenges. We heard the same story again and again. Credit was either unavailable or came with predatory terms. Payments were unreliable. Information was scarce. And despite their resilience and determination, too many were being excluded from opportunities to grow.

The story of Lucy Nyambura in Nairobi is one that stays with me. Lucy has been selling produce at City Park Market for over 20 years. She has weathered many challenges, but her biggest barrier to growth was always access to capital. Like so many others, banks would not lend to her, and the few options available were often designed to trap rather than to empower. When Lucy joined CoAmana, things changed. With access to affordable credit, she could buy more stock, increase her turnover, and repay reliably. With each repayment her credit line grew, and so did her business. Her story is a reminder of what happens when small business owners are given the chance they deserve. Growth becomes possible. Dignity is restored. Futures open up.

I have seen the same resilience in Nigerian markets. I have met women who wake up long before sunrise, carry goods to the market, manage their households, and still find the strength to fight for a better life. Many of them are leaders in their communities. They are resourceful and determined, yet often overlooked by traditional financial systems. I remember speaking with a farmer who told me that with just a little credit, he could double his harvest and send all his children to school. For him, that was not just about income, it was about legacy. These encounters are what continue to shape CoAmana. They remind us that our work is not abstract. It is about real lives and real dreams.

From that dainty little office, we have now grown into a team that serves more than 80 markets across Nigeria and Kenya. Our Amana Market platform helps farmers and traders unlock credit, source goods more easily and at better prices, and build a financial track record that allows them to stand tall in systems that once shut them out. This is not just about numbers on a screen. It is about creating resilience in households, in communities, and in entire rural economies.

We are proud of how far we have come, but we know this is only the beginning. Africa is full of markets just like City Park in Nairobi and countless others across Nigeria. The potential is vast, and so are the needs. With your support and partnership, we will continue to grow, community by community, market by market, until informal trade across the continent is no longer seen as invisible, but as the engine of opportunity and prosperity that it truly is.

As I reflect on our journey, I carry with me one guiding truth. The reward for good work is more work. We have been entrusted with much, and our responsibility is to continue, to expand, and to serve. Thank you for walking this journey with us. The best is yet to come.

With gratitude and determination,
Alfred Olajide
Co-Founder, CoAmana