In the quiet soil of Ibadan, far from the noise of capital cities and global tech hubs, something extraordinary began to grow. It wasn’t a crop, or a company, or even an app – it was an idea. An idea carried by a young Nigerian student studying Agronomy and Soil Science, who saw not only the cracks in the foundation of his country’s agricultural sector but also the possibility of planting solutions in those very fissures. His name is Seyi Alabi, and his journey is proof that even the most unassuming seeds, when nurtured, can yield revolutions.
Today, Seyi stands as the co-founder and research lead of Crop2Cash, a groundbreaking agritech platform headquartered in Ibadan, Oyo State. His mission is bold and unwavering: to bridge Nigeria’s $19 billion agricultural funding gap, bring millions of smallholder farmers into the financial system, and spark a green, digital renaissance across the continent.
Growing Up in the Heart of Nigeria
“I was born in Osun state, Nigeria, but I’ve spent most of my life in Ibadan, Oyo state,” Seyi shares. From early on, he was drawn to the land, not just as geography, but as opportunity. Studying at the University of Ibadan, Seyi pursued a degree in Agronomy and Soil Science, unaware that his academic curiosity would soon pivot into a lifelong mission.
“It was during my educational journey that I developed the idea for Crop2Cash and connected with my co-founders,” he says. “It was through my educational experience that we were able to identify potential gaps in the agricultural sector.”
These weren’t just textbook gaps, they were existential crises for millions of farmers across Nigeria who lacked access to formal banking, knowledge tools, and climate-resilient techniques. What others saw as brokenness, Seyi saw as building blocks.
Planting the Seeds of Crop2Cash
Seyi’s vision was clear: “The inspiration for my business was borne out of the need to bridge the financial inclusion and knowledge gap among smallholder farmers to achieve SDGs 1 and 2 in Nigeria.”
These two Sustainable Development Goals, SDG 1: No Poverty and SDG 2: Zero Hunger, are at the heart of Crop2Cash’s mission. SDG 1 aims to end extreme poverty by promoting equal access to economic resources and opportunities, while SDG 2 focuses on ending hunger and achieving food security through sustainable agriculture.
Crop2Cash was created not just to help farmers grow more but to empower them holistically. The platform allows smallholder farmers to open bank accounts using just a simple USSD code, gain access to credit, and receive localized agricultural training. “Crop2Cash is an innovative platform championing both economic empowerment and climate action for Nigeria’s smallholder farmers. By addressing the $19 billion funding gap in agriculture, it uses a unique USSD-powered system to facilitate swift bank account setups and credit access.” But beyond the tech, it’s about trust, dignity, and autonomy.
“More than financial inclusion,” Seyi explains, “Crop2Cash aids farmers in adopting sustainable practices, mitigating climate impact, and ensuring resilient farming.”
It’s a marriage of innovation and intention, where every feature, from the AI-powered toll-free hotline to knowledge dissemination tools, is built with empathy. The impact? A 70% increase in farmer income and a 40% boost in crop yield between 2023 and 2024 alone.
Today, Crop2Cash employs over 40 full-time staff and operates with a mission-driven culture that Seyi has helped shape from the ground up.
Navigating Challenges and Building Resilience
No meaningful journey unfolds without resistance, and Seyi’s has been no exception. The challenges of operating in Nigeria’s informal and infrastructure-strained economy are vast.
“Some of the challenges I faced as an entrepreneur are access to the right type of funding, infrastructural challenges, as most of the economic activities are informal,” he recounts. But true to his pragmatic spirit, Seyi turned these hurdles into hard-earned wisdom.
“I learned to incorporate lean startup methodologies into my business, failing and failing quickly, and also focusing on alternative sources of financing such as grants.”
It’s not just survival, it’s strategy. And it’s this capacity to adapt that continues to drive Seyi’s leadership style and Crop2Cash’s innovation cycles.
Beyond the Fields and into the Future
While his heart beats for agriculture, Seyi’s hands are also building bridges across sectors. A seasoned agribusiness consultant, climate advocate, and mentor, he devotes significant energy to shaping the next generation of African entrepreneurs.
“But the work I am most passionate about,” he adds, “is mentoring and advisory for new startups and changemakers.”
This love for mentorship is deeply aligned with Seyi’s philosophy: empower others to grow, and everyone rises together. His advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is simple, yet deeply profound: “Start now, and don’t wait till all the right pieces are in place. Focus on building products that can be easily adopted by the users.”
Technology, Language, and Local Love
Staying ahead in a fast-changing tech landscape requires a blend of agility and foresight. For Seyi, the secret is customer empathy and cultural relevance.
“We are managing to stay ahead of the curve by focusing on creating customer-centric digital products available in the farmer’s local language,” he explains. One such product is the newly launched AI-powered, toll-free national hotline, “which provides farmers with all the information they need with no hassle.”
Seyi is particularly excited about the intersection of AI and agriculture. “There are so many emerging technologies and trends,” he says, “but I am most excited about the use of AI in building sustainable innovations in the Agriculture space.”
It’s this vision, where cutting-edge tech meets grassroots reality, that defines Crop2Cash’s unique value.
A Story Still Being Written
Reflecting on his journey, Seyi doesn’t speak of awards or accolades. He speaks of impact. He speaks of value. “My biggest lesson as an entrepreneur would be to prioritize impact and value addition and the revenue will come,” he says. “Your product should always improve lives and/or efficiency.”
In a world increasingly driven by scale, speed, and hype, Seyi’s approach offers a radical reminder: real entrepreneurship is rooted in service. It’s not about disrupting for the sake of headlines, it’s about building systems that last, tools that heal, and communities that thrive.
The Harvest Is Only Beginning
Back in Ibadan, where the first seeds of Crop2Cash were planted, the sun rises over red earth fields that are no longer forgotten. Here, thousands of smallholder farmers open bank accounts not in banks, but on their phones. They receive expert advice from AI in their mother tongue. They grow crops with confidence, knowing they are no longer invisible to the economy.
And behind it all is a man who once studied soil science and saw the bigger picture beneath the ground.
Seyi Alabi’s story is far from over. But if the harvests he’s helped cultivate are any indication, Nigeria and Africa are in the hands of a new kind of farmer. One who plants code as well as cassava, and who knows that the future of agriculture lies in the wisdom of the past, the tools of today, and the hope of tomorrow.
