Akiba case study

Akiba is a digital savings and investment application with a focus on financial literacy and investment products to serve the young professional market who are trying to improve their savings culture and generate wealth.

The goal is to be the go-to savings and investment platform as well as to provide financial literacy education on the portal to empower/educate the target market.

By appealing to the lifestyle demands/influences of the target audience, Akiba not only secures clients but creates a community/tribe of like-minded individuals who see investing in a positive and forward-thinking light. 

The strategic pillars are visibility, accessibility and ease-of-use. 

Akiba's Philosophy is "Savings and Investment made Easy" - breaking the stereotypes to financial freedom for the young professional, university graduate, entrepreneur or start up. 

Understanding the market size: Fintech landscape in Nigeria 

  • In Nigeria, 80% of the FinTech market is made up of Digital Retail Payment (36%), Lending (25%) and Payment Infrastructure firms (19%) (BCG Analysis sourced in EFINA Fintech Report; “Overview and Lessons Learnt from Global Fintech Landscape and Nigerian Fintech Landscape”; 2018) 

  • Between 2014- 2018 equity and grant financing by funding partners grew by 53% to $87M 

  • Current market trends include increase in savings players, partnerships with banks, competition from Telcos, and improving technological innovation 

  • Key challenges within space: access to funding, lack of adequate information, appropriate regulation, corporate governance limitations and intellectual property rights 

  • Solutions provided: More involvement from banks to increase micro-credit access, enforce effective regulation and more innovative/simple solutions 

Akiba's Brand Tone of Voice

"At Akiba we’re a community that respects and celebrates individuality, self-expression and entrepreneurship. We see this as success. Because, if you’re doing what you’re most passionate about, you’re succeeding ­ – whether you’re a small business or an individual. By accessing a platform that understands your needs through savings, investments and even a loan, you can open doors to wherever you’d like to go.

We are for all, we are open to all and we’re rooting for all. We’re a brand that cheers, encourages and champions. We say what we want to clearly and truthfully, always keeping things simple. We are all about sharing – we share our friends, our small business community and we share information – seeing our people grow in financial literacy and understanding, so they’re empowered to do and be their best. Our products are there to help our people achieve their goals and live out their success."

Welcome to Akiba.

Meet your people, start saving, invest, borrow or understand money – see success happen right here, right now.

  • "We believe life should be about living out your passion, opening new doors and going to all kinds of exciting places. It’s the biggest, boldest, most vibrant you, meeting the world.

    At Akiba we’re a community that respects and celebrates individuality, self-expression and entrepreneurship. We champion your success. Because we believe that if you’re doing what you’re most passionate about, you’re succeeding ­ – whether you’re a start-up, small business or just living out a dream. We stand for a better, more powerful Nigeria leading a new way. Which is why we’re all about you – the future of success."

  • "Products that offer you everything you need to realise your short or long-term goals. From daily savings to monthly savings, from annual investing to investing in all kinds of asset classes to build your own portfolio. With products designed to help you achieve your goals and empower you, it’s never been easier to achieve true financial freedom." 

  • "Connecting with other entrepreneurs, showing off who you are, what you do and how you do it. Meeting more like-minds moving in the same direction."