When Ayo Shonibare speaks about Africa’s crypto future, he does so with a certainty that comes from both conviction and lived experience. As Chief Marketing Officer of Roqqu, one of Africa’s fastest-growing crypto platforms, he has a front-row seat to a financial revolution unfolding across the continent.
“Roqqu was built to make crypto simple, safe, and accessible for everyday Africans,” Shonibare tells Techparley in an exclusive interview. “We saw that Nigerians, and Africans more broadly, struggled to access crypto platforms where they could easily buy, sell, swap, send, and receive assets without high fees or the risk of being scammed. We wanted to solve that.”
That motivation led to Roqqu’s creation in Nigeria. From its beginnings as a simple, user-friendly exchange, Roqqu has expanded into a full-fledged ecosystem supporting more than 141 crypto assets, instant naira withdrawals, and cross-border remittances.
The platform has since moved into Ghana, entered East Africa through the acquisition of Kenya’s Flitaa, and is preparing for continental and global expansion.
Building Trust in a Volatile Industry
According to Shonibare, the challenge was never just about building infrastructure, it was about earning trust. In a region where financial scams and unstable platforms have left scars, trust is a fragile currency.
“For us, the key has been consistency,” Shonibare says. “We don’t overpromise—we listen to our users, understand their needs, and build for them. That people-first approach earned us trust early on, and we’ve sustained it by staying user-centric.”
One of Roqqu’s standout features: instant naira withdrawals is not just a matter of bank partnerships but engineering prowess.
Shonibare says the company developed the extensive in-house system that enables instant withdrawals, a feat of engineering that gives the platform both speed and reliability.
That same technical DNA has powered Roqqu’s entry into new markets. In East Africa, the acquisition of Flitaa was less about buying growth and more about speed of entry.
“Acquiring Flitaa was our entry strategy into East Africa,” Shonibare says. “Acquiring Flitaa gave us an immediate foothold in East Africa without the time it would take to build from scratch. It was a strategic shortcut, not just a growth play.”
Competing in a Crowded Market
Africa is becoming one of the fastest-growing crypto markets in the world. According to Chainalysis’ 2024 Global Crypto Adoption Index, Nigeria ranks second among the top countries globally for crypto adoption. Ethiopia, Kenya, and South Africa are also consistently in the top 30 tier.
The African crypto landscape is crowded, with global giants like Binance and regional players such as Quidax. But Roqqu, Shonibare insists, is playing a longer game.
“Roqqu is not just another exchange being built. Roqqu is more of an ecosystem that is coming to stand the test of time,” he says. “We are out on a roll to build something extensive from Africa to the world at large. So, the focus isn’t just competing with other exchanges; it’s creating a platform that Africans can trust and grow with for decades.”
That vision stretches beyond crypto. Roqqu today positions itself as a crypto exchange, remittance hub, and infrastructure provider through API services. In practice, that means enabling everything from fast payments to building blocks for fintech startups.
Regulation and Responsibility
As regulators across Africa tighten oversight of digital assets, compliance has become make-or-break for exchanges. For Shonibare, this is not a challenge but a guiding principle.
“Roqqu is very compliant. We ensure that we follow regulatory rules to the letter,” he emphasizes. “Regulations do shape our roadmap, but because compliance is part of our DNA, we’re always aligned with the rules of each jurisdiction.
Trust, he adds, also comes from transparency and customer support. By operating a centralized system that tracks every user’s transactions, backed with a dedicated support team, Roqqu seeks to reassure users worried about hacks, lost assets, or unregulated risks.
At a time when crypto adoption is skewed toward young, urban men, Roqqu has also invested in grassroots education. The company runs campus ambassador programs across Nigerian universities and community campaigns in rural and semi-urban areas, helping to demystify crypto for women, youth, and first-time users.
“If we could fast forward to 2030, Roqqu will be a global player operating across multiple continents,” Shonibare says. “The vision is simple: wherever Africans are in the world, Roqqu will be their bridge to financial freedom.”
For now, Roqqu is consolidating its footprint across Africa: staking a claim in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and beyond. But if Shonibare’s confidence is any indication, the story of Roqqu is only just beginning. According to industry experts, if Roqqu executes its plan well, it will lead the industry for years.
