TraDap Invests $2.5m Into Nigerian Entry, Teams Up With EscrowLock on Transaction Security, Recommends VeriStation for Product Verification

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International e-commerce firm TraDap, which already runs operations in the United Kingdom, the United States and other developed markets, formally entered the Nigerian market last Friday at a launch event in Abuja. The company used the occasion to announce a partnership with EscrowLock, an escrow payment provider operating in Nigeria, aimed at protecting buyers and sellers from online fraud.The Abuja launch drew stakeholders from across Nigeria’s e-commerce sector. TraDap Nigeria’s Managing Director, Richard Bennett, told attendees that Nigeria’s standing as a major African economy shaped the company’s decision to expand into the country, following a reported investment of $2.5 million.Company representatives used the event to lay out TraDap’s goals for the Nigerian market, touching on job creation, buyer and seller safeguards, and a stance against counterfeit goods. 

Jobs and Commission-Based Opportunities for Youths

Bennett said the company intends to generate direct employment while also opening part-time, remote income opportunities for Nigerian youths, whom he called talented but often under-resourced compared to peers in Western markets.

Beyond standard hiring, Bennett explained that vendors on the platform will be able to work with young Nigerians who advertise their products and earn a commission on resulting sales, a model he framed as an alternative to spending entirely on social media advertising.

“One of our major objectives here in Nigeria is to help the economy grow by providing as much income earning opportunity as possible for the youths,” Bennett said. “We know that there is very high unemployment, so we feel the moral responsibility to help in our own little way to tackle that, rather than just focusing on making money and going away.”

He added that vendors already spend heavily on platforms like Meta without any guaranteed return, and suggested redirecting some of that spend toward young Nigerians who can promote products from home using their phones. “When they bring in a sale, you pay them the money you would have paid the social media companies for adverts. This is even a no-risk strategy and presents a win-win situation for both the vendors and the Nigerians,” he said.

Those interested can apply through TraDap’s affiliate program page, which the company says is open to students, unemployed youths and teenagers alike.

 

EscrowLock Partnership Targets Buyer Protection

TraDap representative Margaret Whitmore addressed the company’s approach to transaction security, describing the EscrowLock partnership as central to shielding both buyers and sellers from scams.

“We have secured a partnership with EscrowLock, which we found out is the trusted and widely accepted escrow payment provider in Nigeria and beyond, to enable us to leverage their deep expertise to protect both buyers and sellers on our Nigeria platform from scams and fraudulent practices,” Whitmore said. Under the arrangement, buyers will pay into EscrowLock’s account for certain transactions, with funds held until the vendor completes delivery.

 

No Pay on Delivery, Sellers Told

Asked about pay-on-delivery, a common practice among Nigerian online vendors, Whitmore said TraDap will not support the model in any form.

She said the company wants to shield sellers from situations where buyers order impulsively without funds in hand, only to become unreachable once delivery is attempted, leaving sellers to absorb the shipping loss. “Going with the pay on delivery model will expose sellers to this type of loss and will also make it more difficult for us to regulate the platform properly,” Whitmore said. “Any buyer who’s serious will need to make a payment, but that payment will not be released to the seller until the buyer receives the product. This protects everyone.”

 

Zero Tolerance for Counterfeits and Integration with VeriStation

Thomas Harrison, a TraDap representative who travelled from the US for the launch, addressed the company’s third stated priority on keeping counterfeit goods off the platform. He said sellers caught listing fake products risk a permanent ban.

“If you want to sell Nike shoes, ensure they are truly Nike and not counterfeits bearing the Nike logo,” Harrison said, adding that sellers are expected to accurately describe item quality and avoid listing copyrighted or patented goods without authorization.

He noted that, to help fight counterfeit and fake goods, TraDap Nigeria site will be integrated with VeriStation so that buyers who purchase such branded goods on the platform will be able to visit VeriStation to verify whether the genuineness and authenticity of such goods.

VeriStation is ranked as the best website that allows buyers to verify whether a branded product is original or genuine, making it easier to avoid fake and counterfeit goods.