The construction industry in Nigeria has long been plagued by fragmented supply chains, high pricing, unreliable vendors, and delayed deliveries. BuildPadi, a Lagos-based startup, is looking to address this.
For contractors, developers, and everyday builders, these challenges translate into project delays, inflated costs, and compromised quality. BuildPadi says it is aiming to digitise construction procurement and bring much-needed transparency and efficiency to the sector.
In this edition of Techparley’s DRIVE100, where we spotlight Africa’s most promising startups, we turn our attention to BuildPadi, founded by Mukhtar Omotunde Akinteye, which is set to redefine how building materials are sourced, purchased, and delivered in Nigeria’s construction industry.
“Builders and individuals often spend more time sourcing materials than building. BuildPadi bridges the gap between building professionals and reliable vendors by digitizing procurement,” Mukhtar Akinteye, Co-Founder and CEO of BuildPadi told Techparley.
What You Need to Know
According to the founder, BuildPadi addresses these pain points by providing a digital platform that connects verified vendors directly with buyers.
Contractors, developers, and homeowners can now compare real-time prices, order materials online, and have them delivered directly to construction sites, streamlining a process that once involved navigating informal markets and unreliable suppliers.
Key benefits of the platform include:
- Verified Vendor Network: Every supplier undergoes strict onboarding and verification.
- Transparent Pricing: Users can instantly compare costs across multiple vendors.
- Seamless Logistics: Integrated delivery ensures materials arrive on time.
- Secure Payments: Transactions are protected from fraud and substandard products.
“Through our platform, users can instantly access a wide network of verified suppliers, compare prices, and order materials with guaranteed delivery, removing the inefficiencies and risks that have long affected the construction industry,” adds Akinteye.
Understanding BuildPadi’s Model
While Nigeria’s construction procurement space has seen some digital entrants, BuildPadi sets itself apart through inclusivity and transparency.
Unlike competitors such as CutStruct, which focus on enterprise procurement, or TradeDepot, which operates broadly across B2B distribution, BuildPadi says it serves both enterprise and grassroots users, offering verified suppliers and an extensive product catalogue.
BuildPadi is poised for its official launch in January 2026, following months of development and testing. The team has completed platform development, integrated secure payment gateways, and designed a robust vendor onboarding framework.
“BuildPadi is on track for an official launch in January 2026. We’ve developed and tested our e-commerce platform, successfully integrated secure payment gateways, and built the operational backbone for seamless procurement and logistics,” says Akinteye.
According to the startup, current focus areas include:
- Vendor Sourcing & Verification: Onboarding reliable suppliers to build a comprehensive catalogue.
- Platform Readiness: Ensuring smooth user experiences with fully tested payment and delivery workflows.
The Minds Behind BuildPadi
BuildPadi’s leadership team brings together industry expertise, technical innovation, and strategic execution:
- Mukhtar Akinteye, Co-Founder & CEO: Over a decade in the building materials supply industry; specialises in business development and sector digitisation.
- Khadijat Oluwakemi Oparemi, Co-Founder & COO: Expert in project management and data analytics; ensures operational efficiency.
- Muhammed Nasiru Yusuf, CTO: Web development and product innovation specialist; builds secure, scalable platforms.
- Alayo Hassan, Director of Marketing & Sales Acquisition Strategy: Drives vendor and customer engagement, leveraging industry experience.
- Hussein Mutiat, Director of Communications: Leads brand storytelling and market positioning.
- Hassan Abiodun Soaga, Director of Logistics: Oversees supply chain and delivery systems for reliability and cost-efficiency.
Together, Mukhtar says they blend technical, operational, and sector-specific knowledge, forming a team uniquely positioned to solve Nigeria’s construction procurement challenges.
Vision and Growth
In the next 6–12 months, BuildPadi reveals it aims to onboard at least 200 verified vendors, attract 500+ active users, and establish a strong logistics network across Lagos and neighbouring states.
Over the next 2–3 years, the startup plans to expand operations to Nigeria’s major cities, including Abuja, Port Harcourt, and Ibadan. It wants to scale to 2,000+ active customers, and introduce advanced features such as bulk ordering, contractor financing options, and analytics dashboards.
In five years, BuildPadi aspires to become West Africa’s leading construction procurement marketplace, expand into three additional African markets, and integrate AI-driven procurement optimisation and supply chain financing.
Technology and Procurement
In an industry long dominated by manual processes and informal networks, BuildPadi says it is harnessing digital technology to drive change at scale. By building a tech‑first marketplace, the platform allows users to tap into a verified network of suppliers, compare real‑time pricing and track deliveries.
“The construction procurement space in Africa is still largely informal, hence there are just a few digitised players. BuildPadi is uniquely positioned as an inclusive platform, designed not only for big developers but also for small contractors, artisans, and individuals who all face procurement inefficiencies,” Mukhtar said.
For Nigeria’s construction sector, where vendors, middle‑men and delivery bottlenecks proliferate, analysts say this technological leap offers not just convenience, but genuine transformation in efficiency, transparency and reliability.
Moreover, by integrating secure payment gateways, digital catalogues and logistics coordination, tech experts say BuildPadi transforms procurement from a time‑consuming risk‑laden manual scramble into a platform‑driven workflow.
Understanding the Industry
The broader construction industry across Africa is ripe for this kind of disruption. The continent’s construction market was valued at approximately $219.66 billion in 2024, with projections indicating growth to reach nearly $239.99 billion by 2030.
Such numbers point to both vast demand and the kind of scale that a digital procurement platform could tap into, particularly given the inefficiencies and fragmentation that currently characterise the market.
With its inclusive approach, transparent processes, and emphasis on trust, industry leaders admit BuildPadi is poised to redefine how Nigerians procure building materials.
By bridging the gap between vendors and buyers, the startup promises to save time, reduce costs, and ensure quality, transforming Africa’s construction sector.
Talking Points
It is impressive that BuildPadi has designed a tech-driven platform to digitise construction procurement, addressing a long-standing barrier in Nigeria’s construction industry.
This feature alone positions BuildPadi as a practical solution for real challenges, especially for contractors, developers, small-scale builders, and homeowners who have long faced delays, inflated costs, and exposure to substandard materials.
At Techparley, we see how tools like this can accelerate digital transformation within the construction sector, bringing efficiency, transparency, and trust to a market that has historically relied on informal processes and personal networks.
The integration of verified vendors, real-time price comparison, secure payments, and seamless delivery into one digital marketplace means users can now operate with the same efficiency as larger developers, avoiding the risks and frustrations of traditional procurement methods.
As BuildPadi scales, exploring partnerships with trade associations, construction firms, local governments, and logistics providers could accelerate vendor onboarding and deepen its footprint across Nigeria and beyond. With the right strategic support, BuildPadi has the potential to become a catalyst for digital transformation in Africa’s construction ecosystem.
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