By Segun Adeyanju
Defying the odds in Nigeria’s challenging startup space, Nestuge, a self-funded monetisation platform for digital creators, has paid over ₦500 million to more than 7,000 Nigerian creators; all with a team of just five people.
Founded by Nelson Eze, Ruth Okoli and Jude Enete, the platform was inspired by Eze’s frustrating experience with an online course in 2021.
Officially launched in 2023, Nestuge allows creators to sell digital products such as courses, eBooks, memberships and coaching sessions, while integrating with tools like WhatsApp, Zoom, Telegram and Google Meet.
Nestuge distinguishes itself through automation features for access control, email follow-ups and content delivery.
“We started with memberships alone, but users needed more eBooks, consulting, masterclasses , so we adapted,” said Eze.
With no external funding, the team relied on manual onboarding and community-driven marketing.
Eze personally messaged hundreds of creators to help them set up their payment systems.
As creators saw the value of automation and time-saving features, the platform gained organic traction.
The business model charges 3.9 percent on local transactions and 7.5 percent on international ones, plus usage-based automation fees.
This means Nestuge only earns when its users succeed; a strategy that aligns with Africa’s cost-sensitive but rapidly expanding creator economy.
While competitors like Selar have processed much larger volumes of ₦9.8 billion in 2024 alone, Eze remains optimistic.
“The creator economy is growing fast. There’s room for everyone,” he said.
Nestuge continues to scale steadily, keeping costs low while considering funding options to expand its team.
“We’re not chasing comfort,” Eze added. “We just want to build something creators can trust and a solid business around it.”
