Finstore Onboards over 150 Users in One Week, Positions as Challenger to Global Platforms

Finstore, a subsidiary of Nigerian fintech Fintava, has onboarded over 150 merchants in less than a week since going live.

The early traction highlights a growing demand for simpler, more accessible tools that enable African merchants to start selling online without the usual cost and complexity.

Finstore allows users to create a fully functional online store and begin selling in under a minute. The platform is designed to remove common friction points associated with e-commerce, including lengthy setup processes, subscription fees, and payment integration challenges.

With the launch, Finstore is positioned as a direct challenger to global platforms like Shopify and local players such as Bumpa. However, unlike many of its competitors, Finstore is completely free to use, giving merchants access to a full suite of e-commerce tools without upfront or recurring costs.

According to the Fintech company, a key differentiator for Finstore is its deeply integrated payment system. Built by Fintava, the platform comes with a payment gateway enabled by default, allowing merchants to accept payments immediately after setting up their stores. This eliminates the need for third-party integrations, which can often slow down onboarding and introduce additional costs.

“Starting an online business should be as easy as posting on social media. 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,” a Finstore spokesperson said.

Beyond speed and accessibility, Finstore provides merchants with a robust dashboard that offers real-time insights into their business performance. Users can track sales, monitor customer behaviour, and make data-driven decisions to grow their stores — all from a single interface.

The product’s rapid adoption in its first week reflects broader trends in Africa’s digital economy, where more small and medium-sized businesses are moving online but still face challenges around cost, infrastructure, and ease of use.

By combining store creation, payments, and analytics into a single, free platform, Finstore can lower the barrier to entry for e-commerce and empower more merchants to participate in the digital economy.
As adoption continues to grow, Finstore will emerge as a strong alternative for businesses seeking a faster, more cost-effective way to launch and scale their online presence.