From Owerri Markets to Pan-African Trade: David Chima Builds Kuraway for African B2B Commerce

David Chima's journey into technology and trade was shaped by the bustling markets of Owerri, Imo State, where he learned the mechanics of commerce from his mother, a civil servant who ran a trading business to supplement her income.

Today, Chima applies those foundational lessons to Kuraway, a business-to-business platform that serves as a digital intermediary for suppliers and retailers across Africa. The startup, which has processed over $600,000 in trade and supports more than 1,300 businesses, aims to become what Chima describes as "the Alibaba for Africa."

Chima's entrepreneurial roots trace back to childhood, accompanying his mother, an administrative staff member at the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), to markets as she supplied customers for her rice distribution business.

"Civil servants in Nigeria don't earn a lot," Chima explains. "So, she has always tried to find extra sources of income. Her major source was rice distribution. She found a major warehouse that could give her a discount, and then she resold at a premium price."

By the time he enrolled to study Materials and Metallurgical Engineering at FUTO in 2021, Chima had launched his own trading venture, supplying custom-tailored clothing and branded T-shirts.

In 2018, during his third year, the Student Union Government contracted him to source souvenirs for 4,000 to 5,000 new students. This involved travelling to Aba, Abia State, a major commercial hub, to source and brand clothes for delivery.

"We became a major contractor for SUG," Chima recalls. "At the time, I was more like a middleman."

The operation required rigorous end-to-end management, from quantity inquiries and design agreements to payment negotiations. For institutional contracts, Chima often funded production out of pocket, receiving payment only after delivery.

His campus-based logistics experience expanded beyond the university, supplying church members during a centenary programme. He continued the business after graduating in 2021.

However, entrepreneurship proved non-linear. In 2020, Chima faced a significant setback with Housing Zone, a rental marketplace that folded when the COVID-19 pandemic halted economic activity.

"When COVID-19 hit, we were not able to go out," he says. "There was no way to sell it, onboard new people, new houses, or new agents."

The slowdown provided time for recalibration. In 2022, Chima co-founded Bondly with Isaac Edmund, now serving as Chief Technology Officer. The startup began as an escrow payment solution designed to bridge trust gaps between African merchants and global buyers hesitant to pay upfront.

As market needs evolved, the team recognised the necessity of layering escrow onto a larger platform. In September 2024, Bondly pivoted to Kuraway, named from the Japanese word "kura" meaning "storehouse."

Kuraway now operates as a B2B trade platform, competing with players such as Sami, Fluna, and Brydge. It serves as a central sourcing hub for merchants across agro-commodities, chemicals, and cosmetics sectors.

The platform enables global buyers to find suppliers across African borders, supporting initiatives like the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Payments are processed through the platform, ensuring secure and traceable transactions.

"We just layered the marketplace onto the escrow products we had already built," Chima explains. "The escrow is integrated; this time around, it is optional."

Now headquartered in Lagos with a team of 10 full-time staff, Kuraway has expanded beyond South-East Nigeria to support merchants in Ghana and Cameroon.

Looking ahead five years, Chima remains focused on scale. "Our vision is to be the go-to platform for trade in Africa," he states.

His motivation combines impact with ambition: "Personally, my motivation is to create the solutions we ought to have in Africa, then become stinkingly rich."

When not navigating cross-border B2B trade, Chima unwinds with chess, a fitting hobby for a founder who has consistently thought several moves ahead, from the markets of Owerri to the broader landscape of African commerce.