Clea to Streamline Cross-border Payments for African Importers

Stories by Emma Okonji

Clea, a blockchain-powered platform that allows African importers to pay international suppliers in USD while settling locally, has officially launched, after processing more than $4 million in cross-border transactions, demonstrating strong early demand from businesses navigating the complexities of global trade.

African importers have long struggled with limited FX access, unpredictable exchange rates, high bank charges, fraudulent intermediaries, and payment delays that slow or halt shipments. The continent also faces a trade-finance gap estimated at over $120 billion annually, limiting importers’ ability to access the FX and financial infrastructure needed for timely international payments.

Speaking about the launch, CEO and co-founder, Sheriff Adedokun, said, “Importers face unnecessary stress when payments are delayed or rejected. Clea eliminates that uncertainty by offering reliable, secure, and traceable payments completed in the importer’s own name, strengthening supplier confidence from day one.”Co-founder and CTO, Iyiola Osuagwu, added: “Our goal is to make global trade feel as seamless as a local transfer. By connecting local currencies to global transactions through blockchain technology, we are removing long-standing barriers that have limited African importers for years.”

Co-founder and COO, Sidney Egwuatu, said: “The next phase for us is scale. We are expanding across all 36 Nigerian states, strengthening partnerships, and opening new payout routes across Africa and beyond. Our focus is building a dependable financial infrastructure that genuinely supports importer growth.”.