Our story
Sokopana started in a small office in Arusha in 2021, when our founders noticed a gap: talented sellers across Tanzania had incredible products but no easy way to reach buyers beyond their local market.
We built Sokopana to change that. A marketplace designed from the ground up for Tanzanian commerce — with mobile money payments, local language support, and logistics partnerships that actually work here.
Today, over 10,000 sellers trust Sokopana to power their businesses, and millions of buyers across Tanzania shop with us every month. We're just getting started.
Our mission
"To connect every Tanzanian entrepreneur with every Tanzanian buyer — making commerce faster, fairer, and more accessible for everyone."
The team
We're a small, focused team based in Arusha, Tanzania — building the infrastructure for Tanzanian commerce.
Former fintech engineer who spent 8 years building mobile money infrastructure in Tanzania.
Full-stack engineer and open-source contributor. Built Sokopana's first version in 6 weeks.
Spent 5 years helping SMEs scale across Sub-Saharan Africa before joining Sokopana.
Why buyers and sellers trust us
Trust isn't a feature — it's the foundation everything else is built on.
Verified sellers
Every seller goes through identity and business verification before listing products.
Buyer protection
If your order doesn't arrive or isn't as described, we'll make it right — guaranteed.
Secure payments
M-Pesa, Mixx by Yas, Airtel Money, and card payments processed through encrypted, PCI-compliant systems.
Dispute resolution
Our dedicated team resolves disputes within 48 hours, fairly and transparently.
Seller ratings
Real reviews from real buyers — no fake ratings, no pay-to-rank schemes.
Data privacy
Your data stays yours. We never sell personal information to third parties.
As seen in
"Sokopana is quietly becoming the backbone of Tanzania's e-commerce."
"The platform that's making online trade as easy as sending an M-Pesa."
"One of the most promising marketplaces to emerge from Tanzania in years."