Building for African users isn't a smaller version of building for anyone else. It's a different sport.
Constraints are the brief
- Networks are slow and unreliable — design offline-first
- Devices are mid-range — measure on real phones, not flagships
- Payments are fragmented — design for cash, transfer, and card
- Trust is local — build with local voices, in local languages where it matters
The unfair advantage
Markets that international players underestimate are markets where local product teams quietly become category leaders.