Nigerian B2B commerce platform Sabi has laid off approximately 20% of its workforce—around 50 employees—as the company pivots to focus more heavily on commodity exports and global trade traceability.
Founded in 2020, Sabi operates a B2B marketplace designed to empower Africa’s informal trade sector. The platform connects merchants and resellers to curated digital tools and services that improve cash flow, logistics, inventory management, and customer reach. Sabi’s platform aims to digitize the value chain for the millions of small and medium businesses across the continent that operate outside of formal retail.
📉 From GMV Milestones to Market Reality
In 2023, Sabi raised a $38 million Series B round led by CRE Venture Capital, and reported:
- Over 300,000 merchants on its platform
- More than $1 billion in annualised gross merchandise volume (GMV)
However, like many B2B commerce startups in Africa, Sabi has faced challenges in scaling profitably in a fragmented informal market. The company is now shifting its strategy toward areas seeing greater traction.
🔁 New Focus: TRACE and Ethical Commodity Sourcing
Sabi’s new focus is global commodity trade, built around TRACE — short for Technology Rails for African Commodity Exchange, which was launched in 2023. The TRACE platform provides traceability infrastructure for ethically sourced commodities such as ginger, sesame, and cashew, allowing African producers to meet rising global standards.
“Sabi is entering its next chapter, with a focused commitment to commodity trade and traceability for global customers,”
the company said in a public statement.
“We’re doubling down on the part of our business seeing the most demand, built on the strong foundation we’ve laid since 2021 by supporting African merchants and their growth.”
The pivot responds to growing international demand for transparent, ethically sourced commodities, especially from European and North American buyers seeking sustainable supply chains.
⚠️ Layoffs as Part of Strategic Realignment
To align with this new focus, Sabi made what it described as a “difficult decision” to restructure the company. About 20% of roles across various teams were eliminated as part of the process.
“This was not an easy call. We are deeply grateful to our departing teammates — their work was instrumental to our journey,”
the company said.
“While tough, this shift positions us for long-term success and ensures we remain focused on building scalable, responsible supply chains.”
🌍 What’s Next for Sabi?
Despite the downsizing, Sabi says it remains committed to transforming how the world sources from Africa. With global trends pushing toward ESG compliance, supply chain digitization, and fair-trade sourcing, the startup sees significant upside in building Africa’s leading commodity traceability infrastructure.
Sabi joins a growing list of African startups making bold strategic pivots amid shifting market realities and investor sentiment.
