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Treegar: A World Where We Can All Be Investors

By Njideka Agbo
09 October 2022   |   6:26 am
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…

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.

Ariyo Raji, Mojibade Sosanya and Ayo Ogunlowo. Photo: Idris Dawodu for 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.”

Ariyo Raji, Mojibade Sosanya and Ayo Ogunlowo. Photo: Idris Dawodu for Guardian Life

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.”

The lessons they have learnt from the experiences of those with a wealth of knowledge and the authorities whose batons they have taken over are some of the ideas they will be adopting, Mojibade adds in reference to their “social capital” as one of their USPs.

“Altogether, we are selling knowledge, expertise, experience, and success stories and, of course, our solid social capital,” she concludes.

Interestingly, opening an account on Treegar takes “30 seconds,” or, as Mojibade prefers to describe it, “as easy as A, B, C. Before you blink, 30 seconds is over, and you have made a great decision.”

As a user navigates the app, the user will quickly notice the educational materials that serve as a guide into the financial world.

“Much more than the app, we want to drive and encourage a financially literate society. So we have video materials on our social media platforms and blog posts on our website that can guide you.”

Trust
One problem we cannot ignore is the volatility of the stock market, and while high-risk investors are used to this, low-risk and beginners are more cautious. How does Treegar take care of people who fall into this category?

“It is true that the stock market hardly stays still, but we just note that market volatility is a normal part of investing. At Treegar, we want our customers to trust our expertise to always curate options and make decisions that benefit them.

“You can trust us at Treegar. Let’s trigger you into abundance,” Mojibade says as she laughs heartily.

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