Payaza Africa is set to launch ShopAza, a new cloud-based e-commerce platform designed to help businesses create online stores, manage inventory and accept payments from customers across multiple markets.
The platform will officially launch on 18 June 2026 in Lagos, Nigeria, with an event featuring a keynote speech by Payaza’s Global Head of Operations, Taiwo Adeeko, a live demonstration of the product and a panel discussion on scaling e-commerce businesses across Africa.
ShopAza aims to solve a common problem faced by many small businesses, particularly in Nigeria, where merchants often rely on WhatsApp Business, Instagram or Facebook to display products and receive orders. While these platforms help businesses reach customers, they usually lack features such as shopping carts, automated checkouts and integrated inventory management, creating extra steps for buyers and sellers.
Payaza says ShopAza will provide merchants with an all-in-one solution that combines branded online storefronts, payment processing and inventory tracking without the need to use multiple separate tools.
The platform is expected to launch in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and Tanzania, while also supporting merchants serving customers in North America and Europe. It will offer multi-currency capabilities, allowing businesses to sell across different regions and accept payments in various currencies.
The move comes as Africa’s social commerce market continues to grow rapidly. A significant share of online buying and selling on the continent now takes place through messaging and social media platforms rather than dedicated websites. However, businesses operating this way often face challenges such as manual order processing, payment disputes, poor customer data management and limited opportunities to build their brands.
Several fintech companies have introduced tools to address these issues. Payment providers including Paystack, Flutterwave and Interswitch have integrated online storefront features into their payment platforms, while specialised e-commerce solutions such as Bumpa, Sellevo and Selar also serve the market. Even so, merchants frequently cite limited customisation, inventory management and customer retention features as ongoing challenges.
For Payaza, entering the e-commerce space also represents an opportunity to expand beyond payment processing. As transaction services become increasingly competitive and profit margins narrow, offering digital storefronts gives payment companies deeper insights into merchant activity and creates opportunities to provide additional services such as lending, analytics and business management tools.
ShopAza forms part of Payaza’s wider ecosystem of digital products, which includes ChatPay, Payaza Give, EventPorte and Payaza Branches. By connecting these services, the company appears to be building an integrated platform that supports online selling, payments, events and customer engagement within a single ecosystem.
With growing demand from African businesses serving both local and international customers, Payaza hopes ShopAza’s multi-currency support and integrated payment infrastructure will make it easier for merchants to expand across borders and reach diaspora markets.
