TL;DR:
- Twiva is a Kenyan social commerce platform that connects MSMEs with influencers to boost product sales using AI-powered matching and shoppable content.
- Influencers earn income immediately by promoting products on social media, while MSMEs only pay for successful sales.
- The platform has over 3,100 MSMEs, 14,000 influencers, and 100,000 products onboarded.
- Supported by organizations like the World Bank and Mastercard Foundation, Twiva plans to expand into five African markets within three years.
Africa’s youth population, estimated at over 420 million people aged 15–35, is rapidly growing and expected to double to 830 million by 2050.
Despite this demographic dividend, the continent struggles with youth unemployment. One-third of African youth are unemployed and discouraged, another third are vulnerably employed, and only one in six secures stable wage employment.
This bleak scenario is compounded by a mismatch between education systems and job market demands, leaving many graduates unprepared for employment.
Coupled with limited formal job opportunities, informality dominates, with many youth relying on self-employment and low-wage jobs in agriculture or services.
In contrast, Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) form the backbone of African economies, contributing about 80% of employment in sub-Saharan Africa and roughly 50% of GDP.
Despite their significant role, MSMEs face challenges like limited access to markets and affordable marketing solutions.
Kenya-based startup Twiva seeks to address this dual crisis by blending technology and social commerce to empower MSMEs and create opportunities for Africa’s youth.
What is Twiva?
Founded in 2020 by Peter Kironji, Twiva began as an influencer marketing platform to connect brands with influencers for visibility.
However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the team shifted their focus to the core needs of MSMEs—driving direct sales.
By pivoting to a social commerce model, Twiva leveraged AI to connect MSMEs with online influencers, aligning marketing efforts with measurable outcomes like sales conversions.
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This transformation allowed MSMEs to minimize upfront costs while reaching broader audiences.
Today, Twiva positions itself not just as a marketplace for influencers and brands but as a tool for economic empowerment, especially for Africa’s youth.
How Twiva Works
Twiva operates as an AI-driven social commerce platform that connects MSMEs with youth influencers. The process is straightforward:
- Registration: Influencers, typically young people, sign up on Twiva’s platform.
- Matching Products: Twiva’s AI matches these influencers with MSMEs whose products or services align with their audience.
- Content Creation: Influencers use Twiva’s tools to create engaging, shoppable content showcasing these products, complete with purchase links.
- Sales and Distribution: These posts are shared across the influencers’ social media channels, effectively turning their accounts into digital storefronts.
Peter Kironji, Twiva’s CEO, highlights the scalability of this model: “If a product is matched with 1,000 influencers, each with four social media accounts, it gets showcased on 4,000 online storefronts, all at zero upfront cost.”
Benefits for Influencers and MSMEs
Twiva benefits both parties involved:
- For Influencers:
Influencers gain an income source without the need for upfront capital or extensive resources. Unlike traditional models favoring elite influencers, Twiva enables all influencers to start earning immediately. - For MSMEs:
MSMEs save on initial marketing costs through Twiva’s performance-based pricing model, paying only for successful transactions. This approach makes digital marketing accessible to small businesses, addressing their primary need for direct sales conversions.
Twiva’s innovative model helps MSMEs scale their operations while offering Africa’s youth a tangible way to participate in digital entrepreneurship.
Recognition and Reach
Currently supported by major institutions like the Mastercard Foundation and the World Bank, Twiva hosts over 3,100 MSMEs and 14,000 active influencers, marketing 100,000 products.
Achieving 100% year-over-year growth for four consecutive years, Twiva aims to expand into five additional African markets using a franchise model
Earlier this year Twiva was also honored as the Best Online Social Commerce Platform across the Middle East and Africa at the Middle East & Africa Business Awards.
This accolade underscores its impact on digital commerce and employment innovation.
