Continuous Growth

Investments, bonds, equities, and real estate are all terms used by the vast majority of people worldwide. Yet, few have a firm grasp of what it means. The few who do make up 1.1% of the world’s population, controlling 45.8% of the global wealth. These billionaires are taking purposeful steps to increase their fortunes by investing in real estate, dividend-paying companies, index funds, as well as fine art to maintain their position at the top of this market. In the scramble to be a part of this percentage, many have been entangled in the rat race filled with the thorns of economic woes. Every year, people record investment losses because of FOMO (the fear of missing out) or simply, uninformed guesses. While it is true that people seek financial knowledge, not many who have gained the understanding that has led to financial freedom are willing to reveal their secrets. Fortunately, Warren Buffett, the world’s biggest investor, says that one of his secrets is to buy stocks he understands.

As Nigerians join the rest of the world to understand the essence of investment and how it can change their lives, Treegar, a financial technology company that enables Africans to invest and earn globally, promises to save the day. “What we have done at Treegar is to democratise investment. When you think of the word ‘investment’, you automatically think that you have to be an expert… we [the average human] have that ideology that investing is such a Herculean task that you can’t make sense of it. Through our application, Treegar, built on cutting-edge technology, the concept of investment and the practice of investing have been simplified and made accessible to everyone. What we have done at Treegar is to make it extremely accessible to everyone.

“With Treegar, global investment opportunities are made available locally, and users can own a part of their favourite companies through our stocks feature, whilst also earning a steady return through our fixed income feature.” Mojibade Sosanya, the CMO of Treegar tells Guardian Life. Treegar was founded by three friends, Ayo Ogunlowo, Ariyo Raji and Mojibade Sosanya, who are a part of the ex-Access Bank mafia – a term coined by the trio to describe ex-Access Bank staff who have moved on to build great products. and businesses. Mojibade says that the idea of Treegar came about when Ayo reached out to Ariyo one Tuesday, in the middle of the night. “Ariyo called me on the phone enthusiastically, saying that Ayo had spoken to him about this Eureka moment. He expressed his concerns about how Nigerians and Africans in general needed to earn more, especially with regard to global access and opportunities in terms of wealth creation, and viola! Treegar was born,” she says with a grin. She also adds that her stay at Access Bank quickly became the source of her resilience and tenacity. Indeed, the three partners complement each other. Mojibade brings her expertise as a Marketing and Communications Specialist; Ariyo, his experience as a CTO (Chief Technology Officer); and Ayo, the CEO, brings his business and sales prowess. Beyond the friendship is a drive to see the product bring people together and help them cultivate investment habits. “We are working on building a Treegar community where people can network. In this network, we will actively engage with our customers and keep them informed. This way, they are an integral part of Treegar. Our advantage is that people will not only see themselves as a part of us, but they will increasingly become more knowledgeable about investments, and how their choices affect their future.”

Interestingly, she adds that this ideology informed the name, Treegar. Simply put, tree (serving as a place of abundance) and Trigger. “Just like the first syllable of our name, a “tree” represents abundance, and you know that when you water a tree, it continues to yield good fruit. Our investments are like trees. It is first a seed, then it takes root and begins to grow until it becomes the shade that you need to survive. The other syllable is gotten from the word “trigger”. A seed cannot blossom unless it is aided by water and care. “At Treegar, we want to be that springboard into the abundance of wealth, even as our customers invest and understand that investment isn’t such a big deal. So think of Treegar as triggering you into greatness and abundance.” As it is with several other products existing in several markets, when one is asked about its USP, the speaker talks about its features. This is what Mojibade does, only this time, it is about the people behind the product. “Talking about the product is great, but let’s look at the leadership of the product. We have people who are experienced in financial services and value creation; people who understand the global economy and its nuances, and people who have experience in product management; product development, marketing and sales; we have a solid foundation for people to trust us.”