How Tesh Mbaabu Built MarketForce as Africa’s Digital Retail Backbone

In Summary

• Tesh Mbaabu co-founded MarketForce in 2018, building a B2B merchant platform that expanded into several African markets and focused on Kenya and Uganda.
• The platform grew to over 100,000 active merchants, with projections toward 200,000, reflecting its rapid adoption among informal retailers.
• MarketForce connects informal merchants to inventory, digital payments, and working capital, while building scalable infrastructure for informal retail across Africa.

Deep Dive!!

Lagos, Nigeria, Thursday, December 18 - Tesh Mbaabu built MarketForce to address one of Africa’s most complex economic realities which is the informal retail. Across the continent, millions of neighbourhood shops move fast-moving consumer goods daily, yet operate outside formal supply chains, structured credit, and digital payment systems. 

Mbaabu recognised that the challenge was not demand but infrastructure. Small retailers needed reliable access to inventory, transparent pricing, working capital, and logistics that matched their scale and speed.

Founded in 2018, MarketForce began as a sales force automation solution before evolving into a full B2B commerce and fintech platform serving informal merchants across multiple African markets. Under Mbaabu’s leadership, the company positioned itself as an operating layer between global consumer brands, distributors, and last-mile retailers. By combining ordering, payments, and merchant credit in one system, MarketForce aimed to formalise trade without forcing informal businesses to change how they operate.

This is about building digital rails for everyday commerce, liquidity for small merchants, and proving that scalable infrastructure for Africa’s informal economy can be venture-backed, data-driven, and continent-wide in ambition.

Early Life, Education, and Experience

Tesh Mbaabu is a Kenyan entrepreneur with a long-standing interest in technology. He grew up in Nairobi, where his early exposure to digital platforms sparked his curiosity about how technology could address real-world challenges in African contexts.

He enrolled in the University of Nairobi to study Computer Science, developing skills in software development and digital solutions. While still a student, Mbaabu gained practical experience by working on client projects in web design and programming, which helped him build technical expertise and entrepreneurial confidence.

After graduating in 2015 with a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Mbaabu co-founded Mesozi Group, a business and technology solutions provider that helped medium-sized companies adopt digital systems. Between 2016 and 2019, he launched additional tech ventures, including Cloud9xp, a travel technology platform that was later acquired by HotelOnline in 2020. These ventures gave him experience in product development, client engagement, and scaling startups in African markets, laying the foundation for MarketForce.

Inspiration to start MarketForce

Tesh Mbaabu’s inspiration for MarketForce began long before the company was founded. His curiosity about how digital platforms could reshape everyday life took root in high school when he first encountered Facebook and global tech products, sparking a desire to understand technology deeply and build solutions that solved real problems in African contexts. This early fascination helped shape his belief that technology could empower communities in new ways rather than simply mimic Western models.

After graduating from university and co-founding a software consulting business with his long-time collaborator Mesongo Sibuti, Mbaabu and his team repeatedly encountered the same challenge, companies lacking reliable real-time data on field sales and distribution performance. Businesses struggled with manual systems, paper-based reporting, and inefficiencies that eroded productivity and obscured market visibility. The founders built software to give sales teams better control and visibility, and this experience planted the seed for a platform that could systematically digitalise these processes. 

As they worked with various clients across sectors, Mbaabu and Sibuti realised that the informal retail sector presented a deeper, more pervasive version of this problem. Across African cities and towns, informal neighbourhood shops operated without access to digital tools, formal supply chains, inventory financing, or data to guide purchasing decisions. Manufacturers and distributors also lacked accurate visibility into how products moved through local markets, making distribution inefficient and fragmented. This dual-sided challenge of unstructured retail and opaque distribution inspired a more ambitious purpose: build a digital backbone for informal retail trade in Africa.

The reason for moving toward this broader mission came around the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. With social restrictions and lockdowns disrupting traditional field sales channels, the founders asked a critical question many merchants could not answer: Why must merchants rely on physical agents to restock inventory at a time when mobility was limited? That question led to the creation of a B2B commerce marketplace (RejaReja) that would enable merchants to order inventory digitally, access working capital, and receive goods promptly without depending solely on in-person interactions.

These insights converged into a single motivating force for Mbaabu. Solve the fundamental inefficiencies in informal retail trade in Africa by using technology to give merchants and brands the tools they lacked which is real-time data, a dependable ordering system, embedded financial services, and connectivity that aligned with how African markets actually operate.

What problem MarketForce solves

Across Africa, informal retail drives everyday commerce, yet it operates with little supporting infrastructure. Millions of neighbourhood merchants move fast-moving consumer goods daily, but rely on manual processes, cash transactions, and fragmented supply chains. This creates inefficiencies that affect merchants, distributors, and consumer brands at scale. MarketForce was built to address these systemic problems by providing a digital operating layer for informal trade.

1. Lack of structured access to inventory and supply chains.Informal merchants traditionally depend on physical distributors or sales agents to restock inventory. Orders are placed verbally or on paper, leading to delays, errors, and inconsistent supply. MarketForce replaces this with a digital ordering system that allows merchants to browse products, place orders, and receive goods through coordinated last-mile logistics. This improves reliability and reduces stock-outs across multiple markets.

2. Limited access to working capital and inventory financing.Most neighbourhood retailers operate on thin margins and lack access to formal credit. Without working capital, merchants are unable to buy sufficient stock or respond to demand spikes. MarketForce addresses this through embedded inventory financing, allowing eligible merchants to receive stock now and pay later based on transaction history and behavioural data generated on the platform. This reduces dependence on informal lenders and enables sustainable business growth.

3. Absence of real-time sales and inventory data.Manufacturers and distributors often lack visibility into last-mile product movement. This data gap leads to poor demand forecasting, inefficient distribution, and misaligned supply decisions. MarketForce aggregates sales, order, and inventory data across its merchant network, creating structured insights that help brands and distributors optimize product availability and route planning.

4. Dependence on cash and manual payment systems.Cash-based transactions dominate informal retail, increasing risk and limiting access to financial services. MarketForce integrates digital payments into the merchant workflow, enabling safer transactions and building verifiable transaction records. These records form the basis for merchant profiling and credit qualification over time.

5. Exclusion of informal merchants from formal financial systems.Because many informal retailers lack bank accounts, credit histories, or formal documentation, they are excluded from traditional financial products. MarketForce creates a data trail through consistent commerce activity, allowing merchants to gradually enter formal financial ecosystems without changing how they operate day to day.

In addressing these problems, MarketForce does not attempt to formalise informal retail by force. Instead, it builds infrastructure that adapts to existing trade behaviours while introducing efficiency, transparency, and access to finance. This approach positions the company as a foundational platform for informal retail across Africa.

Milestones achieved to-date

Since its founding in 2018, MarketForce has achieved significant growth and established itself as a foundational platform for informal retail across Africa. The company started as a sales force automation tool, helping brands and distributors digitise field operations, and quickly validated demand for a solution that could streamline ordering and data reporting. By 2020, MarketForce launched RejaReja, a B2B commerce platform that allowed informal merchants to order products digitally, access next-day delivery, and integrate payments without relying on field agents. This pivot marked the company’s transition from enterprise software to a merchant-facing platform.

The platform’s growth accelerated rapidly. MarketForce scaled its merchant network from a few hundred merchants in 2020 to over 100,000 active users by late 2021, with company estimates suggesting growth toward 200,000 merchants by 2022. Transaction volumes expanded correspondingly, with daily orders reaching several thousand and average transaction sizes increasing significantly. MarketForce initially expanded into Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, Tanzania, and Rwanda, but later exited several markets, maintaining core operations in Kenya and Uganda to focus on sustainable growth.

A major milestone came in February 2022, when MarketForce closed a $40 million Series A funding round. Led by V8 Capital Partners and supported by multiple global and Africa-focused investors, the capital enabled the company to scale merchant financing, digital payments, and logistics services across its markets. The Series A also coincided with strengthening its executive team and board, including the appointment of Ken Njoroge, former CEO of Cellulant, as chairman.

In parallel, MarketForce built strategic partnerships with major consumer brands, including Nestlé, Pepsi, Flour Mills of Nigeria, Bidco Africa, and Chandaria Industries, as well as fintech partners such as Pezesha. These collaborations expanded product availability, financing options, and operational support for informal merchants. By 2024, the company employed around 400 people to manage operations, product development, and customer support across its markets.

Despite its rapid growth, MarketForce faced operational challenges due to the capital-intensive nature of last-mile distribution and thin margins in B2B commerce. In 2024, it strategically scaled back operations in several markets, retaining core functions in Uganda and exploring new models like social commerce platforms. This pivot reflects the company’s adaptability and continued focus on building sustainable infrastructure for informal trade.

Lessons for other African entrepreneurs

Tesh Mbaabu’s journey with MarketForce offers several actionable lessons for African entrepreneurs seeking to build scalable, pan-African businesses. His experience demonstrates how understanding local market realities, leveraging technology, and adapting strategically can turn challenges into opportunities.

1. Start by solving real, observable problems.Mbaabu identified inefficiencies in informal retail that were affecting millions of merchants. Instead of creating solutions based on assumptions, he observed the pain points in ordering, payments, and inventory management. By focusing on tangible problems, MarketForce was able to design a product that met clear market demand.

2. Validate ideas early with small-scale experiments.Before scaling, MarketForce began as a sales force automation tool that helped brands and distributors manage field operations. Early pilots allowed Mbaabu to test product-market fit, refine features, and understand merchant behavior without committing excessive resources. This iterative approach reduced risk and informed strategic pivots.

3. Leverage technology to build infrastructure, not just products.MarketForce succeeded because it was designed as an operating layer for informal retail rather than a simple app. Entrepreneurs can learn that building platforms that enable commerce, data collection, and financing simultaneously can create defensible advantages and long-term value.

4. Scale carefully while managing operational intensityRapid growth across multiple markets can strain resources. MarketForce’s decision to scale to five African countries and later pivot some operations highlights the importance of monitoring cash flow, operational costs, and margin sustainability even while pursuing pan-African expansion.

5. Build strategic partnerships early.Mbaabu partnered with consumer brands, distributors, and fintech providers to expand product access and financial services for merchants. African entrepreneurs can leverage partnerships to amplify reach, share operational burden, and enhance credibility in new markets.

6. Use data to unlock financial inclusion.By creating digital transaction histories for informal merchants, MarketForce enabled access to credit that traditional banks could not provide. This demonstrates that technology can create measurable impact and business opportunities while solving societal challenges.

In sum, Mbaabu’s story shows the importance of grounding ventures in local realities, validating solutions iteratively, leveraging technology strategically, and balancing scale with operational discipline. These lessons provide a blueprint for other African entrepreneurs aiming to build impactful, continent-spanning businesses.

Tesh Mbaabu’s journey with MarketForce illustrates how deep understanding of local markets, strategic use of technology, and relentless focus on solving real problems can transform informal retail across Africa. Building on that success, he co-launched Chpter, an AI-powered conversational commerce platform, and in 2025 began Cloud9, a mobile-first digital banking startup aimed at providing modern financial services to young Africans. This transition marks a new chapter in his career, showing how lessons from MarketForce scaling, partnerships, and tech-enabled solutions can now be applied to fintech and social commerce. Looking forward, Mbaabu’s ventures signal the continued evolution of pan-African digital infrastructure, creating opportunities for merchants, consumers, and entrepreneurs across the continent.