Firm unveils platform to rival Shopify

Fintava, a Nigerian fintech company, has launched Finstore, a free online store builder designed to simplify e-commerce for African merchants and challenge established global platforms such as Shopify.

The company said the platform, which recently went live, has already onboarded more than 150 merchants within its first week of operation, signalling strong early demand for simpler and more accessible digital commerce tools across the continent.

Finstore enables users to create a fully functional online store and begin selling in under a minute, eliminating common barriers associated with starting an online business, including complex setup processes, subscription fees and payment integration challenges.

According to the company, the product was developed to address persistent hurdles faced by small and medium-sized enterprises seeking to move their businesses online, particularly cost and technical complexity.

A key feature of the platform is its built-in payment infrastructure. Developed by Fintava, the integrated payment gateway allows merchants to accept payments immediately after creating their stores, removing the need for third-party integrations that often delay onboarding and add extra costs.

“Starting an online business should be as easy as posting on social media,” a Finstore spokesperson said in a statement on Tuesday. “With Finstore, we’ve taken away the barriers: no fees, no complicated setup, and no need to connect external payment providers. You can go from idea to first sale in under a minute.”

Beyond store creation and payments, Finstore offers merchants a centralised dashboard that provides real-time insights into sales performance and customer behaviour, enabling users to make data-driven decisions to grow their businesses.

The rapid adoption recorded in its first week reflects broader trends in Africa’s digital economy, where increasing numbers of merchants are shifting online but continue to face challenges related to affordability, infrastructure and ease of use.

By combining store creation, payments and analytics into a single free platform, Fintava aims to lower entry barriers to e-commerce and expand participation in the continent’s growing digital marketplace.

The platform’s offering of simplified onboarding and reduced costs is likely to gain traction as African SMEs increasingly seek faster and more cost-effective ways to establish an online presence.