When KeepAm launched, it targeted a group that Nigeria’s tax system has historically struggled to reach, which are the remote workers, creators, freelancers and small operators who earn first and think about tax later.
Rather than treating tax as an annual administrative burden, KeepAm reframes it as a background process embedded in daily work. The web-based app encourages users to log income as it comes in, attach related expenses, and store receipts continuously, building a record that can later be translated into formal tax filings.
Its founder, Emmanuel Olorunshola, built the product around two linked realities. First, a growing number of Nigerians now earn digital and cross-border income that falls under tax rules they do not fully understand. Second, many of these earners miss legitimate deductions simply because they do not keep structured records. KeepAm is designed to sit between those two problems.
“We use multi-layer validation with Nigerian-specific patterns,” Olorunshola said. “Common issues include mixed currencies (we auto-convert to NGN), cash transactions (we allow with confidence scoring), and informal descriptions.”
What You Should Know
Large segments of Nigeria’s economy operate outside traditional payroll systems, where tax is deducted automatically. Freelancers, contractors and creators are paid directly into bank accounts, often by foreign clients, with no automatic classification of what that money represents.
Policy, however, is moving in the opposite direction, towards greater financial visibility. Nigerian banks already report transaction data under financial surveillance rules, and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has expanded e-filing systems alongside closer scrutiny of digital and cross-border income.
In this environment, platforms like KeepAm attempt to translate raw financial data into structured tax records.
In an open-banking system, he argues, the default risk for organised freelancers is that gross inflows begin to resemble taxable income, unless the individual can prove otherwise.
Turning Bank Inflows Into Defensible Records
This burden of proof sits at the centre of KeepAm’s design. Without clear documentation, project-based workers risk being assessed on turnover rather than actual earnings after costs.
KeepAm responds by placing a continuous documentation layer over everyday transactions. Users log income when they are paid, then attach expenses linked to that work, from data purchases and transport to software subscriptions and equipment. Receipts—paper or digital can be scanned and stored in the app, turning informal evidence into a retrievable archive.
The system prompts users to indicate whether a cost was incurred to deliver a specific job, then classifies it as a potential deduction. Over time, these entries are compiled into downloadable reports that users can submit to their state tax authority.
Beyond record-keeping, KeepAm incorporates digital invoicing, aligning with government interest in traceable billing. Instead of sending clients only an account number, users can issue invoices through the app, linking payment requests to documented work.
Once paid, the invoice, payment and related expenses form a single chain of records. For freelancers and creators accustomed to informal workflows through messaging apps, this introduces bookkeeping discipline without requiring full accounting software, which many find too complex or expensive.
That design philosophy is reflected in the app’s language. Accounting jargon is largely avoided, replaced with plain explanations and prompts that guide behaviour rather than intimidate users.
Knowing the Startup’s Model
KeepAm offers a free tier that includes up to 20 invoice checks, 20 income and expense entries, and 20 receipt scans. The Pro plan costs ₦2,500 and unlocks invoicing, expense tracking and tax-filing tools. A Business plan priced at ₦7,500 targets small enterprises, adding payroll tools and payslip generation.
Paid plans also enable bank account linking through open banking, allowing transactions to be pulled in and sorted automatically, reducing manual entry.
KeepAm runs as a web app that can be added to a phone’s home screen without an app store. Users can log income, record expenses and scan receipts without an active internet connection, with data syncing later.
In markets where mobile data is expensive and connectivity uneven, experts say this supports consistent record-keeping rather than delayed bulk entry. From a tax perspective, timing matters: deductions are easier to defend when logged close to when costs occur, not reconstructed months later.
Talking Points
It is notable that KeepAm is designed around continuous record-keeping rather than annual tax filing, addressing one of the biggest reasons freelancers and creators fall out of compliance: last-minute documentation.
This approach positions KeepAm as a practical bridge between everyday income activity and formal tax systems, especially for remote workers and small operators who earn irregular, cross-border income outside traditional payroll structures.
At Techparley, we see products like KeepAm as critical infrastructure for Nigeria’s evolving digital workforce, where financial visibility is increasing but understanding of tax obligations remains limited.
By translating raw bank inflows into structured, defensible tax records, KeepAm helps shift tax compliance from a vague threat into a manageable, numbers-driven process rooted in documented profit rather than gross earnings.
However, the platform’s long-term impact will depend on adoption and trust. For a population that often mistrusts both government systems and data-heavy digital platforms, clear communication around data protection, accuracy, and user control will be essential.
As KeepAm scales, there is an opportunity to deepen its reach through partnerships with creator platforms, remote work marketplaces, and financial institutions. With the right ecosystem support, KeepAm could play a meaningful role in formalising income without overburdening Nigeria’s growing class of independent workers.
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