Bamboo

Bamboo was founded in 2019 as an online investment platform built around a relatively straightforward proposition: make access to global financial markets easier for African investors. Rather than requiring customers to deal directly with traditional brokers, Bamboo built a digital platform through which users can invest from their mobile phones.

Through the platform, investors can buy shares in global companies as well as exchange-traded funds, including fractional shares. For Nigerian users, Bamboo has also expanded its offering to include Nigerian equities, with a current minimum investment for Nigerian stocks of ₦5,000, while fractional investment in US stocks can begin from $2.

Regulation has become an important part of Bamboo's development. In March 2023, Bamboo Systems Technology Limited announced it had received a digital sub-broker licence from the Securities and Exchange Commission of Nigeria. For US-traded securities, Bamboo works with DriveWealth LLC, a regulated broker-dealer and member of FINRA and SIPC.

Bamboo's distinctive strength remains the simplicity with which it connects African retail investors to local and international investment opportunities, while its continued growth will depend on building trust and deepening participation in investment beyond the relatively small segment of Nigerians who already actively invest.