Strategies for African Startups to Build User Trust and Loyalty

In Africa's fast-paced startup ecosystem, building trust isn't optional. Users here want proof that you'll show up tomorrow, next month, and five years from now.
Sometime in 2021, Abeg, a Nigerian Fintech (backed by PiggyVest), spent millions sponsoring Big Brother Naija (Africa’s most watched reality show).

What the Fintech was aiming at was to tap into the show’s customer base and position Abeg as a fun, trustworthy peer-to-peer app for young Nigerians. And it sort of works, as app downloads skyrocketed and Abeg became a trending slang for “begging” and sending money. But two years later, the company quietly pivoted to social commerce, while users plummeted and critics called that move a “trust grab” that fizzled.

The thing is, you can’t buy loyalty with billboards, sponsorships of Big Brother, or a viral campaign; loyalty is earned through reliability, transparency, and care for the customer. But let us unpack what startups can do to build this loyalty and trust.

Show your receipts

It is not too much of an ask for businesses to maintain transparency, is it? And this begins when users are treated as partners rather than a transaction. Take a cue from Ghana’s Susu, a savings model where collectors handwrite entries in a booklet and let customers keep a copy.

Your startup can adopt and modernise this by sharing real-time updates on outages, pricing changes, or delays. But again, transparency goes deeper. Publish simple, visual reports on how you handle data. Host quarterly “Ask Us Anything” Instagram Lives where the founders answer tough questions.

Reliable Service

In every market, there is always that one woman who, come rain or shine, is there. While she may never have a fancy stall, you can rely on her because she always shows up. African startups should mirror this reliability. This Ugandan ride-hailer, SafeBoda, guarantees drivers arrive within 10 minutes or the ride is free. They’ve stuck to this promise for years, making them a staple in Kampala’s chaos.

Reliability thrives on systems, not goodwill. For your business, you can automate service reminders, especially now that there are a variety of AI assistants, create backup plans for power outages, and underpromise so you can overdeliver. Vodacom’s Mum & Baby, a South African telehealth platform, sends free weekly SMS tips to pregnant women, same day, same time. That consistency has made it a go-to resource for millions.

Solve problems the users' way

We know the importance of following a standard operating procedure, but exceptional customer support in Africa really doesn’t require following a script. In one location, a user might prefer a WhatsApp voice note to a support ticket. In another geography, an SMS could be the only option. This means that businesses need to tailor their channels to local habits. M-Pesa didn’t just build a call centre, they partnered with local agents in kiosks and backyard stores, the people who could explain mobile money in Sheng (Nairobi’s street slang) or Kikuyu.

Train your team to solve problems with cultural context in mind. When users in Dakar complain, they might expect a heartfelt apology before a solution. In Johannesburg, they might want speed over sympathy. Chari, a Moroccan e-commerce platform, hires customer service reps from the same neighbourhoods as their users. These reps know when to crack a joke, when to escalate issues, and how to say “I’ll fix this” in a way that feels pretty genuine.

Let your users be your marketers

In markets where word of mouth drives 80% of purchases, social proof is golden. This is about showcasing real people in relatable contexts. Some Nigerian companies, like Kuda and Bumpa, do this brilliantly by sharing user-generated content about how the platforms have helped them. Partnering with grassroots groups that people already trust carries more weight than a celebrity tweet. Even adding a “Who’s Using Us” or “What People Are Saying” section on a homepage featuring photos and quotes from users in the same or other cities, not stock images of smiling models.

Finally, these strategies don’t work in isolation; combining them could make your brand feel less like a corporation and more like a neighbour who always returns the matchbox they borrowed. So, to every African startup dreaming of building a legacy business, stop chasing viral moments. Instead, be the founder who responds to complaints at 11 PM. Build platforms that explain fees in memes. Because here, trust is earned in the grind, one human interaction at a time.

And who knows? The next time a user defends your brand in a heated Twitter (X) trend, it might just be because you once helped them fix a glitch… with a GIF and a “Sorry, bro!” that made them laugh. Now that’s loyalty!