Sokofa Marketplace Connects African Artisans with Diaspora Buyers

Nigerian startup Sokofa has launched an e-commerce marketplace designed to connect buyers from the African diaspora in Europe and North America with African artisans and small vendors across fashion, art, and beauty.

Founded late last year, Sokofa offers custom order capabilities. Buyers can directly input their personal measurements, up to 16 specific fields depending on the garment, on product pages. The item is then handcrafted by the vendor, rather than produced in a factory with standard sizing.

The platform also integrates an AI-powered virtual try-on tool. Users can upload a photo and receive a generated preview of the outfit on them within 25 seconds. The uploaded photo is deleted after 24 hours.

"Vendors are independent artisans currently based in Africa, selling Ankara sets, Adire chords, kaftans, and traditional native wear," said founder Tope Abuloye. "Sokofa is solving the fit and trust problem that diaspora shoppers have dealt with for years using a mix of straightforward custom order infrastructure and AI."

Sokofa, which is self-funded, operates on a commission model. The company is actively expanding its vendor recruitment, including from Africans in the diaspora looking to sell African-inspired products abroad.