Why I Built TrueSella: Solving Trust in Nigerian Social Commerce

Over the past few years, I've watched the way Nigerians buy and sell things change dramatically. Platforms like Instagram and WhatsApp have made it incredibly easy for anyone to start a business. But with this growth came a major problem: trust.

Every week, I hear stories of people losing money to fake vendors. Some pay for goods that never arrive. Others receive low-quality or completely different items from what was advertised. On the other side, genuine vendors also suffer — many buyers refuse to pay upfront, forcing sellers to rely on "Pay on Delivery," which often leads to high return rates and lost revenue.

I experienced this problem both as a buyer and as someone who has interacted with many small businesses. It became clear to me that what's missing in our social commerce space isn't more products or more sellers — it's trust.

That's why I built TrueSella.

What TrueSella does

TrueSella is a reputation and verification layer that helps buyers verify vendors before sending money. Using a vendor's phone number or Instagram handle, anyone can quickly check their trust score and verification status. On the other side, vendors can get verified and build a credible profile that gives buyers confidence to pay upfront.

The idea is simple: reduce the risk for buyers and help genuine vendors close more sales with less friction.

Where we are today

Right now, TrueSella is still in its early days. We're live on WhatsApp, and we've also launched a web version at app.truesella.com. We currently have a small but growing number of users, and we're focused on improving the product based on real feedback.

One of the features I'm particularly excited about is our referral program. We reward users who onboard vendors they already know and trust. This helps us grow responsibly while supporting people who believe in the platform.

Building in public

Building TrueSella hasn't been easy. Like many early-stage products, we're still figuring things out, improving the trust scoring system, and learning what users truly need. But I'm convinced that solving the trust problem in Nigerian commerce is worth the effort.

If you're a buyer who has ever been scammed or stressed about sending money to an unknown vendor, or if you're a vendor trying to build credibility, I'd love for you to try TrueSella.

You can get started by chatting with us on WhatsApp: +234 803 798 5961

Or visit the web app: https://app.truesella.com

I'll be sharing more updates about the journey of building TrueSella here on this blog. If you have feedback, questions, or ideas, feel free to reach out.

Thank you for reading.

— Joshua Eze
Founder, TrueSella