Each month, Sabi, a Nigerian B2B digital commerce enterprise, manages the transfer of over 100,000 tons of lithium-a mineral crucial to the electric vehicle sector-across West Africa. This achievement places Sabi among the top five facilitators of lithium exports in the region. By transforming a traditionally informal and opaque trading environment into a digitized and regulated system, Sabi empowers informal retailers to modernize their operations, optimize inventory control, and establish direct connections with suppliers.
Africa is home to nearly 30% of the world’s essential mineral reserves, including cobalt, lithium, manganese, and rare earth elements. Despite this abundance, the continent only captures a small portion of the minerals’ economic value-estimated between 10% and 20%. Years of insufficient regulation, fragmented supply chains, and illicit trading have hindered Africa from fully capitalizing on its mining wealth.
Sabi is revolutionizing this landscape by developing digital infrastructure that introduces transparency, traceability, and regulatory compliance to Africa’s commodity markets, beginning with the rapidly expanding lithium sector.
Transforming Market Networks into Mineral Supply Chains
Established in 2020 by Anu Adedoyin Adasolum and Ademola (“Demmy”) Adesina, Sabi originated as a spin-off from Rensource, a company focused on power distribution for Nigeria’s informal markets. When the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted traditional trade routes, Sabi adapted its internal logistics and payment systems to support merchants during lockdowns.
This strategic shift evolved into a comprehensive B2B platform that offers informal businesses access to supply chains, logistics, and financial services-essentially serving as an operational backbone for African merchants.
“Unlike retail e-commerce platforms such as Jumia or Konga, we provide a business-to-business service platform that integrates multiple services vital for merchant growth,” Adasolum explained.
After establishing a foothold in sectors like Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG), electronics, and agriculture, Sabi turned its attention to Africa’s emerging industrial opportunity: mineral resources.
“We recognized that minerals represent Africa’s greatest potential to influence global markets,” Adasolum said. “With shifting geopolitical dynamics, minerals have become central to this transformation. We saw a chance to help Africa build trust and traceability in its mineral supply chains.”
Introducing a Digital Identity for Minerals
At the heart of Sabi’s mineral operations lies TRACE, which stands for “Technology Rails for African Commodities Exchange.” TRACE employs digital passports to authenticate and monitor every mineral shipment from extraction to export, recording details such as origin, quality, and adherence to both local and international regulations.
“Minerals differ from finished products because their value heavily depends on quality and provenance,” Adasolum noted. “Our platform guarantees that buyers have full visibility into the source and production methods of the materials. This marks a significant departure from the previously opaque trade practices.”
Each shipment tracked by TRACE carries a certified “mineral passport,” establishing a transparent and auditable chain of custody. This innovation tackles one of Africa’s most pressing challenges-the widespread perception of illegal or unethical mining. “Traceability is the key,” Adasolum emphasized. “Every producer undergoes verification, mining sites are inspected, and every transaction is recorded. This level of openness makes it extremely difficult for malpractice to go undetected.”
Facilitating the Movement of 100,000 Tons of Lithium Monthly
Sabi’s mineral network has expanded swiftly, especially within the lithium market. Currently, the company manages roughly 100,000 tons of lithium exports each month from West Africa, a significant increase from the 50,000 tons handled in March 2025. This growth ranks Sabi among the top five facilitators of lithium shipments in the region.
However, Sabi measures success not just by volume. “Conventional metrics like Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) don’t fully capture what we’re building,” Adasolum remarked. “We focus on the quantity of verified materials moved, the number of suppliers brought into compliance, and the volume of transactions that can withstand international audits. These are the true indicators of progress.”
TRACE enables Sabi to consolidate and verify supplies from small and medium-scale miners who would otherwise be excluded from global markets. “If a miner produces only 50 tons but a buyer requires 1,000, we coordinate, authenticate, and aggregate production,” Adasolum explained. “This approach opens global opportunities for African producers.”
Fostering Trust and Global Market Access for African Miners
Sabi’s platform extends beyond regulatory compliance; it acts as a catalyst for African miners aiming to integrate into the global supply chain. Many small and mid-sized miners across the continent face challenges meeting international buyers’ standards for consistent quality and volume. Sabi bridges this gap by coordinating multiple producers, providing technical assistance, and standardizing operational procedures within its network.
“We collaborate with producers throughout Nigeria and Southern Africa to ensure they satisfy both quality and quantity benchmarks,” Adasolum stated.
This initiative aligns with broader governmental reforms aimed at modernizing Africa’s mining sectors. In 2024, Nigeria’s Ministry of Solid Minerals Development revoked nearly 1,000 dormant mining licenses and introduced policies to attract serious investors. By September 2025, plans were announced to cancel over 4,700 additional licenses due to non-payment of renewal fees, highlighting a renewed emphasis on accountability and efficiency.
Despite Nigeria’s wealth of over 40 commercially viable minerals-including gold, bitumen, lithium, and iron ore-the mining sector contributes less than 1% to the nation’s GDP, underscoring vast untapped potential.
By integrating traceability technology and compliance frameworks, Sabi helps producers align with both local mining laws and international standards, such as those enforced by the EU, U.S., and Asian markets. For instance, the U.S. Mining Regulatory Clarity Act of 2025 clarifies that mining support activities like waste management and processing can legally occur on public lands without economically valuable minerals. It also establishes the Abandoned Hardrock Mine Fund to remediate legacy mining sites, thereby enhancing regulatory certainty and promoting critical mineral production and supply chain security.
“Every country has its licensing protocols, but global buyers also adhere to strict frameworks,” Adasolum explained. “Our system simplifies this process by providing a clear roadmap that helps producers meet both national and international requirements over time.”
Leveraging Data for Sustainable Development
Sabi’s approach goes beyond software solutions by incorporating technical guidance and hands-on capacity building. The company offers training in quality assurance, processing techniques, and value addition, often engaging metallurgists and engineers to support production improvements. Some miners who initially relied on manual tools have transitioned to mechanized operations, boosting efficiency and output.
“Communities that had no access to global contracts just two years ago are now producing and earning by supplying international manufacturers,” Adasolum shared. “This is development happening in real time.”
Sabi’s technology also enhances the global credibility of African minerals, a critical advantage as nations compete to secure supply chains amid the global push for decarbonization. While China continues to dominate refining and midstream processing worldwide, Western countries are diversifying their sources by investing in Africa. Initiatives like Sabi’s could position the continent as a preferred destination for responsible sourcing and local value addition.
“Traceability represents Africa’s greatest opportunity,” Adasolum concluded. “Once provenance is transparent, African producers can compete on the global stage. That’s what will elevate us internationally.”
Overcoming Infrastructure and Regulatory Challenges
Operating within a complex environment marked by infrastructure deficits, currency fluctuations, and bureaucratic hurdles, Sabi faces significant challenges. “Conducting global trade in Africa inevitably involves navigating foreign exchange risks,” Adasolum acknowledged. “We collaborate closely with financial institutions to mitigate these risks and ensure smooth transactions for our partners.”
Scaling the adoption of the traceability platform across multiple countries also presents logistical challenges. “It’s fundamentally a distribution issue,” she explained. “As pioneers in this field, expanding across diverse regions with varying languages, legal frameworks, and logistics takes time.” Nevertheless, Sabi is steadily growing, currently active in at least six countries: Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with plans to broaden its mineral portfolio further.
On the policy front, Adasolum is optimistic about government engagement. “Most countries we operate in are committed to making mining beneficial for their citizens,” she said. “Stability and openness to dialogue are crucial. We’re witnessing increased collaboration between public and private sectors, which is very encouraging.”
“Our goal is straightforward,” Adasolum concluded. “We aim to secure mineral supply chains and connect them to the right opportunities, ensuring Africa’s resources are traded responsibly, transparently, and profitably for all stakeholders. This mission extends beyond minerals-it’s about building systems that enable Africa to compete at the highest global level.”