Transforming Retail Management with WhatsApp in Lagos

Product Design

Lengo AI, is a startup dedicated to empowering informal retailers in emerging markets.

The Call to Adventure

It began with an email invitation to join Lengo AI, a startup dedicated to empowering informal retailers in emerging markets. The mission was to design tools that would transform how shopkeepers in Lagos, Nigeria, manage their bustling businesses. The challenge: create solutions for a market that’s vibrant, chaotic, and unlike any I’d tackled before. I said yes, packed my bags, and flew to Lagos to dive into the world of our users the shopkeepers.

Into the Streets of Lagos

Lagos is a city alive with energy: markets overflowing with vendors, motorbikes dodging traffic, and shopkeepers juggling sales, stock, and banter. My goal was to understand these retailers, who rely on quick instincts and phones where WhatsApp reigns supreme. I crafted user research plans and hit the ground, conducting usability tests and surveys to shape our tools.

We started with a POS mobile app for stock management, scan-to-sell, and click-to-sell features. Early tests showed promise, but shopkeepers were blunt. “Too many taps,” one said, frowning at her screen. Using AI tools for sentiment analysis and Figma for rapid prototyping, we streamlined the interface, boosting engagement by 20%. Still, users were dropping off.

Next, we launched a survey app to gather market insights from shopkeepers. We thought it would empower them to share data while running their shops. But feedback was humbling: “I can’t stop for surveys when customers are shouting,” one shopkeeper said, gesturing at her packed stall. The app felt like an extra burden in their hectic lives.

The Epiphany: Building on WhatApp

Then came the epiphany. In Lagos, WhatsApp is more than an app it’s the lifeblood of business communication. Shopkeepers used it for everything: customers, suppliers, even family chats. Why ask them to adopt a new app when they were already on WhatsApp? We pivoted to a WhatsApp-based solution, moving surveys and stock management to a chatbot interface. To sweeten the deal, we introduced incentives like instant airtime for completing surveys, a game changer that built trust and sparked engagement. Shopkeepers who once ignored our app now responded to quick prompts like “How many sodas sold today?” with enthusiasm, knowing a small airtime reward was seconds away. Iterations, powered by AI insights and periodic user calls, made the experience seamless, fitting their workflow like a well-worn market stall.

While refining the app, I also designed a web-based market intelligence platform for brands like Nestlé. This tool mapped the informal economy, turning millions of tiny shops into actionable insights. Using AI-driven data visualization, I helped brands decode purchasing patterns and customer needs, improving decision-making by 15%. Close collaboration with engineers ensured scalability, but the real lesson was back in the markets, where shopkeepers were teaching us what truly mattered.

We thought the POS and survey apps were winners. Engagement was up, and our AI-driven iterations kept us nimble. But adoption stalled. Shopkeepers tried the apps but drifted away. The issue? We were asking them to change habits in a world where WhatsApp was their default. A standalone app felt like a shiny gadget they didn’t need.

So, we made a bold call: we pulled the apps from the Play Store and went all-in on WhatsApp. Surveys that took minutes now took seconds via a chatbot. Stock management became a few taps in a familiar interface. The instant airtime incentives turned reluctance into excitement shopkeepers saw value in engaging with the bot, building trust with every reward. This wasn’t just a pivot; it was a revelation in meeting users where they were.

The Moral of the Story

This journey burned a truth into my core: no matter how brilliant your product feels, it’s just a hypothesis until users validate it. The informal retail sector isn’t a one-size-fits-all market what works elsewhere doesn’t always click here. Our pivot to WhatsApp, fueled by AI tools, user calls, and airtime incentives, showed that listening to users is the ultimate design tool. We built something that fit Lagos’ shopkeepers like their favorite market stall.

POS Mobile App: Delivered scan-to-sell and click-to-sell, boosting engagement by 20% before the pivot.

Survey App: A lesson in what shopkeepers didn’t need.

Market Intelligence Platform: Improved brand decision-making by 15% with insights into the informal economy.

WhatsApp Solution: A lightweight, incentive-driven chatbot that boosted trust and engagement, proving simplicity wins.This wasn’t just a project it was a masterclass in humility and adaptation. In UX, the user’s reality is your north star, and in Lagos, that star shines brightest on WhatsApp.