In a digital economy where access often determines growth, OATS Africa has steadily positioned itself as one of the driving forces reshaping how African businesses approach commerce, media, and visibility. 

Founded in 2019 by Abdul-Gafar Olaniyan, OATS Africa began with a simple but ambitious goal to bridge the gap between African businesses and the tools they need to scale. At a time when many digital solutions felt out of reach for everyday entrepreneurs, the company focused on building accessible, practical systems tailored to the realities of the local market. 

That focus quickly translated into momentum. From becoming the first recognised Shopify partner in Nigeria in 2023 to securing a strategic partnership with Cloudways, a global managed cloud hosting platform that helps businesses run and scale websites and applications seamlessly, OATS Africa has continued to strengthen its infrastructure and reach. This growth has also earned the company global recognition. 

But beyond commerce, the company has evolved into something broader. 

Today, OATS Africa operates across multiple verticals, from digital commerce solutions to media and entertainment, including a music distribution arm CiDAR Africa and its ticketing platform. This expansion reflects a deeper understanding of one key idea: growth in Africa is no longer just about tools, but about visibility, education, and storytelling. 

That idea is what led to the launch of Thrive. 

Introduced in November 2025, Thrive, built around its positioning as “your business paddy,” serves as the media engine behind OATS Africa. It was designed to simplify how Africans learn and engage with business, digital marketing, and the creator economy, making complex ideas feel more accessible, practical, and relevant to everyday growth. 

Through its weekly newsletter and content ecosystem, Thrive breaks down complex ideas into practical, relatable insights. Whether it is helping a small business owner understand digital commerce or guiding an aspiring creator on how to build influence, the platform is designed to meet people where they are. 

In April 2026, Thrive took this a step further with the launch of its influencer spotlight campaign. The campaign brought together a diverse mix of creators and professionals across beauty, business, media, and entertainment, not just to showcase their work, but to spark real conversations around growth, creativity, and building sustainable careers in today’s digital landscape. 

Among those featured were creators shaping culture in different ways, from beauty and lifestyle storytellers working with global brands to creative directors redefining visual identity to professionals bridging education, business, and content in ways that resonate with everyday audiences. 

Each collaboration reflects what it truly means to build, grow, and thrive in your field. 

But beyond the individual stories, the campaign was always about building a system where creators, platforms, and audiences intersect to create long-term value. 

Originally designed as a 10-week campaign, It generated enough momentum to become a recurring segment within the Thrive brand. As it continues to evolve, one message remains clear for businesses, creators, and anyone building in today’s digital economy: growth happens faster and more meaningfully when it is built together. 

Now, the focus shifts even wider. It centres on West Africa as a collective, spotlighting the region’s talent, creativity, and innovation, and reflecting just how interconnected Africa’s digital ecosystem has become. 

Beyond the campaign, it also reinforces OATS Africa’s role as a trusted marketing and commerce partner for businesses looking to scale, from Shopify integrations and website development to media and entertainment distribution. You can learn more about OATS Technologies Africa and also explore its network of partners

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As Thrive continues to evolve as a business education engine for OATS Africa, one thing remains clear: the future of commerce in Africa will not be built on tools alone. 

It will be built on ecosystems where education, media, collaboration, and technology come together. 

And in that ecosystem, partnerships like this are not optional. 

They are the strategy. 

As the campaign continues to unfold across platforms, one message stands out for businesses, creators, and anyone building in today’s digital economy: growth happens faster and more meaningfully when it is built together.