- Ifunanya Ofodile, a researcher-turned-product strategist, is launching TradebyBartr, a digital platform that modernizes Africa’s traditional barter system by enabling structured, location-based, and multi-item trades without cash as the primary determinant of value.
- The platform allows users to list items or skills, request what they need, and negotiate real-time counteroffers, while rewarding participation with Bartr Credits for in-app utility, creating an equitable and frictionless trading ecosystem.
- TradebyBartr aims to revive community interdependence and promote sustainable living by reducing waste and expanding access, with its official launch set for December and early adopters receiving three free trades.
In an economy where cash is increasingly unreliable and the cost of living continues to squeeze households, one Nigerian product thinker is placing her bet on something far more timeless: value itself.
Ifunanya Ofodile, a researcher-turned-product strategist, is building TradebyBartr, a digital system that transforms Africa’s age-old barter culture into a modern, scalable, and frictionless experience without losing the communal essence that has sustained it for generations.
Across African cities, people may not always have cash, but they always have value: skills, items, time, tools, access, or even social capital. What has been missing is a trusted, structured, and efficient system capable of matching what people have to what others need.
According to Ofodile, “Barter has always been part of our culture. But offline barter is scattered, slow, and based on luck. I wanted to build a digital structure around something we were already doing instinctively.”
Her insight taps into an informal economy that has long existed beneath the surface unoptimized, unregulated, and largely undervalued.
“The platform is built around a fundamental truth: people often possess more value than they have money. Rather than positioning users strictly as buyers or sellers, TradebyBartr creates traders, individuals exchanging what they have for what they need, without cash serving as the ultimate determinant of worth”, she emphasized.
This is not an attempt to replace money. It is addressing a more human challenge; how do you stretch your resources without stretching your wallet? TradebyBartr combines cultural familiarity with structured digital processes to create a seamless value-exchange experience such as:
- Users can list items or skills they want to offer
- They can request what they need, whether specific or open-ended
- Others can counteroffer in real time
- Multi-item swaps support more complex trades
- Both parties must mutually agree before a trade is finalized
- A location-first algorithm prioritizes matches within a user’s local government area (LGA) before expanding outward
The result is a system that feels organic yet engineered, solving the inefficiencies of random social media barter threads.
To reward participation, users earn Bartr Credits for activities such as listing items or completing trades. These credits have a single purpose, enhancing the in-app experience like boosting visibility or elevating listings. No speculation. No token hype. Just a practical, in-app utility that keeps the ecosystem equitable and moving.
Beyond technology, Ofodile sees TradebyBartr as a platform that revives a fading but powerful African principle, community interdependence.
“We grew up in communities where neighbours filled gaps for one another,” she says. “That spirit didn’t disappear. It just lacked the infrastructure to scale in a modern world.”
TradebyBartr aims to rebuild that invisible support network and make it accessible, reliable, and measurable for millions.
Ofodile’s approach is shaped by years of deep experience in market research, user behaviour, and brand strategy across African markets. Her product clarity reflects a discipline not often seen in early-stage startups. She is not building a trend. She is architecting a system, one rooted in cultural insight, digital structure, community participation, and everyday practicality.
At its core, TradebyBartr is designed to create a world where, your value, not your cash determines your possibilities. The platform officially launches this December, with early adopters receiving their first three trades free of charge.
“It’s more than an app,” Ofodile says. “It’s a new way to navigate everyday life.”
Ifunanya Ofodile is a product strategist and ecosystem builder with expertise in circular economy, market research, and brand development across African markets. As founder of TradebyBartr, she is creating a sustainable trading ecosystem that reduces waste, expands access, and makes sustainable living practical for Nigerians.
Click www.tradebybartr to join the waiting list as we help you seamlessly barter products and services with real value alignment.