OATS Africa, founded in 2019 by Abdul-Gafar Olaniyan, has steadily positioned itself as a driving force reshaping how African businesses approach commerce, media, and visibility. The company began with a simple but ambitious goal: to bridge the gap between African businesses and the tools they need to scale. At a time when many digital solutions felt out of reach for everyday entrepreneurs, OATS Africa focused on building accessible, practical systems tailored to the realities of the local market.
From Shopify partner to multi-vertical ecosystem
That focus quickly translated into momentum. In 2023, OATS Africa became the first recognised Shopify partner in Nigeria. It also secured a strategic partnership with Cloudways, a global managed cloud hosting platform that helps businesses run and scale websites and applications seamlessly. This growth has earned the company global recognition.
Today, OATS Africa operates across multiple verticals, from digital commerce solutions to media and entertainment, including a music distribution arm called CiDAR Africa and its ticketing platform. This expansion reflects a deeper understanding that growth in Africa is no longer just about tools, but about visibility, education, and storytelling.
Introducing Thrive: the media engine for business education
That idea led to the launch of Thrive in November 2025. Built around its positioning as “your business paddy,” Thrive serves as the media engine behind OATS Africa. It was designed to simplify how Africans learn and engage with business, digital marketing, and the creator economy, making complex ideas feel more accessible, practical, and relevant to everyday growth.
Through its weekly newsletter and content ecosystem, Thrive breaks down complex ideas into practical, relatable insights. Whether it is helping a small business owner understand digital commerce or guiding an aspiring creator on how to build influence, the platform is designed to meet people where they are.
Influencer spotlight campaign sparks real conversations
In April 2026, Thrive took this a step further with the launch of its influencer spotlight campaign. The campaign brought together a diverse mix of creators and professionals across beauty, business, media, and entertainment. The goal was not just to showcase their work, but to spark real conversations around growth, creativity, and building sustainable careers in today’s digital landscape.
Among those featured were creators shaping culture in different ways: beauty and lifestyle storytellers working with global brands, creative directors redefining visual identity, and professionals bridging education, business, and content in ways that resonate with everyday audiences. Each collaboration reflects what it truly means to build, grow, and thrive in your field.
From 10-week campaign to recurring segment
Originally designed as a 10-week campaign, the influencer spotlight generated enough momentum to become a recurring segment within the Thrive brand. As it continues to evolve, one message remains clear: growth happens faster and more meaningfully when it is built together.
Now, the focus shifts even wider. It centres on West Africa as a collective, spotlighting the region’s talent, creativity, and innovation, and reflecting just how interconnected Africa’s digital ecosystem has become.
OATS Africa’s role as a trusted partner
Beyond the campaign, OATS Africa reinforces its role as a trusted marketing and commerce partner for businesses looking to scale, from Shopify integrations and website development to media and entertainment distribution. As Thrive continues to evolve as a business education engine, one thing remains clear: the future of commerce in Africa will not be built on tools alone. It will be built on ecosystems where education, media, collaboration, and technology come together. In that ecosystem, partnerships like this are not optional; they are the strategy.
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