The real estate industry in West Africa is growing rapidly. The region is home to a young and growing population, rising incomes, and a growing middle class. This has created a demand for more efficient and transparent ways to manage property and invest in real estate.
A number of proptech startups are emerging in West Africa to meet this demand. These startups are using technology to digitize the real estate process, from property search and valuation to rental management and financing. They are also developing new ways to invest in real estate, such as fractional ownership and coliving.
Here are 12 West African proptech startups that are transforming property management and investment:
Spleet
Year Founded: 2018
Location: Lagos, Nigeria
Spleet is an innovative rental management solutions provider redefining the tenant-landlord dynamics in the African real estate markets. Spleet brings together tenants and landlords in a seamless and innovative marketplace, making the process of finding rental apartments convenient and transformative for individuals.
Spleet runs a consolidated rental management solution for landlords and tenants. For tenants, its marketplace enables them to easily find rental apartments. The company also offers a rent now pay later option, which enables tenants to access significant rent loans. Spleet solution also empowers landlords through tenant verification, providing a seamless avenue for house owners to interact with and get familiar with their tenants.
Spleet’s commitment to empowering both tenants and landlords goes beyond transactional convenience. It ushers in greater accessibility, transparency, and financial empowerment. Through its innovative approach, the company is reshaping the rental market to be more inclusive, efficient, and empowering for all involved parties.
Estate Intel
Year Founded: 2014
Location: Lagos, Nigeria
Estate Intel is a trailblazing information technology company revolutionizing decision-making processes for individuals engaging in real estate transactions. The startup leverages historical data to provide insights and information to help clients make guided decisions in the real estate industry.
Estate Intel provides superior intelligence for people by analyzing historical data of property prices and vacancy rates across African real estate markets. The company gives users access to meticulously crafted market reports and helps them harness datasets to decipher current trends and make data-driven forecasts, and even identify prospective leads.
The insights provided by Estate Intel’s platform enable real estate industry players to make smarter decisions. By democratizing access to reliable and comprehensive real estate data, the company contributes to a more transparent and informed industry, fostering trust among stakeholders and promoting healthier market dynamics.
SmallSmall
Year Founded: 2018
Location: Lagos, Nigeria
SmallSmall Technology is an innovative prop-tech company connecting people to better living solutions in Africa. The startup aims to improve the livelihoods of Africans by helping them access respectable living conditions without enduring the financial burden that comes with a one-time bulk investment in property purchases.
SmallSmall offers a smart way to live through its innovative housing solutions. The company’s RentSmallSmall service lets users rent apartments and pay rent flexibly over time. It also offers affordable nightly accommodation and short let services through its StaySmallSmall option. Similarly, its BuySmallSmall service lets clients purchase real estate assets and pay in affordable installments for a period of up to 6 years.
Through its innovative approach, SmallSmall is improving the lives of Nigerians struggling to afford housing expenses. Its products provide ease and flexibility, eliminating the hardships that accompany apartment purchases or rent. Instead, it lets individuals start small and grow steadily.
Squareroof
Year Founded: 2021
Location: Lagos, Nigeria
Squareroof is a digital cooperative real estate company for Nigerians. The startup synergizes multi-purpose cooperative society operations with real estate financing to provide sustainable financial solutions for its community members.
Through its multi-purpose cooperative model, the company creates a platform where community members can collectively pool their resources and tap into a shared financial ecosystem. This cooperative strength is then harnessed to facilitate real estate financing, providing community members with opportunities to secure rents and housing funds through a sustainable and collaborative approach.
Squareroof offers innovative product options that make real estate accessible and affordable for its clients. Through its Roof Income, Roof Savings, it simplifies rent payment for users, enabling them to take full control of their housing financing responsibilities.
By intertwining cooperative principles with real estate financing, the company not only addresses housing challenges but also cultivates a sense of financial empowerment within its community. This unique model opens doors for individuals who may face barriers to traditional housing financing, creating a more inclusive and equitable housing landscape.
CutStruct
Year Founded: 2019
Location: Lagos, Nigeria
CutStruct Technology is a tech-enabled construction solutions company redefining operational processes for engineers undertaking developmental projects. The company aims to address inefficiencies in construction activities and eliminate ineffective project management.
Cutstruct operates LiveVend, a holistic ecosystem that enables users to access a vast array of construction materials at affordable rates. The marketplace platform allows users to monitor pricing trends, engage in retail and bulk procurement, and oversee procurement transactions – all conveniently consolidated within a unified dashboard.
CutStruct’s innovative approach has a transformative effect on the Nigerian real estate ecosystem. The company’s technology streamlines the construction supply chain. Thus it expedites project timelines and helps to reduce inefficiencies significantly. Construction professionals and enthusiasts alike benefit from the level playing field the company is creating in terms of accessibility and affordability of materials.
VENCO
Year Founded: 2022
Location: Lagos, Nigeria
Venco is an innovative technology company offering innovative management solutions for property owners. The startup incorporates digital transformation into real estate property administration by fostering sustainable, stress-free communities.
Venco operates a community management software that enables property owners, managers, and residents to run their communities sustainably and with minimal stress. The company’s platform manages collections, service charge administration, utility vending, visitor access, and other services associated with multi-unit property development.
By centralizing and automating essential community management tasks, Venco enables property owners and managers to focus on strategic initiatives and resident engagement. Venco’s software solution fosters tighter-knit communities where communication flows effortlessly, fostering a sense of belonging and shared responsibility.
HouseAfrica
Year Founded: 2018
Location: Abuja, Nigeria
HouseAfrica is an innovative startup redefining the concept of property ownership and investment across Africa through advanced technology. The company enables Africans to buy shares in multiple properties and earn returns in a transparent and credible manner.
HouseAfrica operates Systemap, a digital infrastructure that incorporates Blockchain and Map technologies to facilitate property purchase and authenticity verification for real estate investors. The system also gives the purchasers blockchain-powered proof of Allocation of the property purchased. The tools offered by HouseAfrica revolutionize the way buyers interact with properties, ensuring transparency, security, and authenticity.
HouseAfrica’s revolutionary use of blockchain technology allows the company to tap into advanced technology to guarantee greater efficiency for buyers. It also democratizes real estate investment, opening the doors for a broader range of investors to partake in the wealth-building potential of property ownership.
Keble
Year Founded: 2018
Location: Lagos, Nigeria
Keple is a pioneering prop-tech company improving access to property investment for Africans in the global real estate market. The startup connects clients to premium property investment options, helping them save, invest, and diversify their portfolios.
Keble operates a platform that provides accessible and affordable real estate options for young Africans at home and in the diaspora. They democratize the benefits of real estate investing, creating a safe and stable means for Africans to grow wealth in confidence.
Through its innovative platform, Keple shatters barriers and extends a helping hand to young Africans at home and in the diaspora, ensuring that the benefits of real estate investment are accessible and affordable to all. By providing a bridge to premium property investment, the company not only assists clients in building diversified portfolios but also contributes to the development of sustainable communities.
Domineum
Year Founded: 2017
Location: Lagos, Nigeria
Domineum is a revolutionary software developer creating positive disruptions in the real estate industry. The company offers innovative solutions tailored to the real estate, logistics, and supply chain industries, helping them achieve greater efficiency and transparency in their processes.
Dominuem provides a Blockchain-as-a-Service solution, a comprehensive suite of tools and services enabling real estate companies to seamlessly integrate blockchain technology into their operations.
Domineum’s pioneering solution paves the way for enhanced property management, streamlined transactions, and secure documentation. By utilizing blockchain, companies can establish an immutable and transparent record of property ownership, transfers, and transactions, mitigating fraud and ensuring the accuracy of property records.
Bongalow
Year Founded: 2012
Location: Lagos, Nigeria
Bongalow is an innovative real estate finance company fostering accessibility to housing through comprehensive finance solutions . The company aims to improve access to housing services and options for Nigerians.
Bongalow operates a robust loan and mortgage origination platform that caters to lenders, brokers, and borrowers alike. The platform simplifies and streamlines the loan origination process, allowing financial professionals to manage loans and mortgages more efficiently. Meanwhile, at the point of sale, borrowers benefit from a seamless and enjoyable user experience, making the process of applying for loans and mortgages far less intimidating.
By providing a user-friendly platform that enhances efficiency for lenders and brokers, Bongalow contributes to a more agile and responsive lending ecosystem. The company seamlessly empowers lenders and brokers throughout the loan origination process while simultaneously providing borrowers with a streamlined and user-friendly experience.
PropertyPro
Year Founded: 2013
Location: Lagos, Nigeria
PropertyPro is a leading real estate transaction facilitator. The company leverages technology to make it easier for individuals and companies to find the right real estate asset to suit their needs and preferences.
At the core of PropertyPro’s offerings is its sophisticated property search platform that empowers users with an unparalleled level of access to the Nigerian real estate market. The platform’s intuitive interface and user-friendly design facilitate a seamless browsing experience, making it easy for individuals to find properties that match their specific preferences and requirements.
PropertyPro maintains a robust and up-to-date property database, ensuring that users have access to a comprehensive array of options, from homes and apartments to commercial spaces and more. By simplifying the property search process, PropertyPro saves users valuable time and effort and also contributes to a more transparent and efficient real estate ecosystem in Nigeria.
Haap
Year Founded: 2022
Location: Lagos, Nigeria
Haap is an innovative technology startup offering dynamic housing options to individuals through community-based living models. The company offers living solutions tailored specifically for young individuals seeking private and coliving spaces.
Happ operates a digital infrastructure through which it provides hassle-free access to fully furnished private and coliving spaces. Leveraging the principles of the sharing economy, Haap collaborates with property owners to acquire, renovate, and furnish multi-family units, thereby transforming them into inviting living environments.
Haap’s model aligns with sustainable living practices, promoting a more responsible and environmentally conscious way of living. By capitalizing on the sharing economy, the company contributes to more efficient use of existing properties and resources, minimizing waste and optimizing space utilization.
