Gambian Entrepreneur Ebrima Fatty Builds Africa-Focused Digital Marketplace

Ebrima Fatty, with over two decades of experience in both finance and technology, is reshaping e-commerce across Africa through AfricaSokoni, the London-based online marketplace he founded in 2017. The platform connects local producers, retailers, and artisans—particularly in East Africa, including Kenya—to regional consumer demand via a user-friendly online interface.

Ebrima Fatty’s AfricaSokoni: Supporting SMEs and Connecting Markets

AfricaSokoni—which means “market” in Swahili—empowers small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), farmers, and artisans by providing tools for inventory management, automated ordering, and supplier relationship support. The platform also offers financing, marketing assistance, packaging solutions, and logistic partnerships, creating new export opportunities for local producers.

Consumers benefit from access to a wide array of goods—ranging from electronics and fashion to home appliances and telecom products—through a streamlined online shopping experience. AfricaSokoni integrates order tracking, stock updates, and supplier coordination features that help stabilize supply chains and improve reliability for both businesses and end-users.

Besides entrepreneurship, Ebrima Fatty serves as a product manager at the Islamic Development Bank in Saudi Arabia, combining his public-sector insights with private-sector innovation. He earned a Master’s degree in Accounting and Finance from the University of Maiduguri, Nigeria in 2000, and began his professional career as a senior auditor at Deloitte that same year. Between 2001 and 2005, he served as financial controller for The Gambia’s Capacity Building for Economic Management Project, contributing to reforms in economic policy and private sector development.

Under his leadership, AfricaSokoni focuses on transforming local markets into regionally integrated digital networks. Fatty’s dual background in finance and technology fuels the platform’s mission: to empower African microentrepreneurs, enhance digital trade infrastructure, and expand cross-border e-commerce opportunities. His work signals a growing paradigm in African tech—where homegrown solutions and digital innovation drive inclusive economic growth.