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Quite recently, Build Africa entered Nigeria’s property market on a simple, but powerful mission to help builders and investors to discover fair prices for building materials and remove the bottlenecks that plague construction projects.
Today, that mission has transformed into an incredible feat as the platform has supported over 10,000 housing units across eight Nigerian states, and it’s only getting started.
Build Africa is a dual platform solution – BuildAfrica.store and BuildAfrica.ai – designed to empower builders, homeowners, and diaspora investors with smarter tools for sourcing materials and designing homes.
“We started with price discovery because people needed clarity,” Tayo Odunsi, CEO of Build Africa, explained to BusinessDay, adding, “from there, we focused on removing procurement bottlenecks and helping Nigerians to build affordably.”
This platform could also be described as a response to the inefficiencies in the Nigerian construction industry, as reflected in inflated prices, unreliable sourcing, and logistical delays. It tackles these challenges head-on by helping buyers source building materials directly from manufacturers.
The platform also delivers materials straight from source to site, eliminating one full trip in the traditional supply chain, and publishes live prices of cement, iron rods, blocks, and roofing sheets, giving users real-time visibility, transparency, and control.
“Whether you’re building a single home or managing a multi-unit estate, Build Africa supports bulk purchases at wholesale rates. The platform is designed to scale with the needs of individuals, cooperatives, and developers,” Odunsi assures.
He explained further that BuildAfrica.ai complements the marketplace, adding that it is an AI-powered platform that helps builders and technical professionals generate cost and price estimates for building projects, create 3D floor plans, 3D Schematics, material quantities, and more.
Build Africa AI recently won the AI category of the GITEX Nigeria 2025 Supernova Challenge, a testament to its innovation and potential to lead Africa’s digital construction revolution.
Speaking on Build Africa emerging the winners of the challenge, Olatunbosun Alake the Commissioner for Innovation, Science and Technology, in Lagos State, commended the Build Africa team, saying, “this is a business idea I’ve mulled over for about 10 years, it is incredible to see a Nigerian bring it to life, I’d definitely use Build Africa for my projects.”
For Nigerians in the diaspora, Build Africa offers a trusted way to build back home. Users in London, New York, or Toronto can now monitor prices in real time, source materials directly and transparently.
Asked what the next step is for the company, Odunsi said the company is expanding its supplier network, bringing its AI co-builder to market, and rolling out financing options. “It’s also building a community through the Africa Builders’ Club, where professionals and homeowners can connect, learn, and grow,” he said.
