Sim Shagaya is a Nigerian entrepreneur, investor, and technology executive widely regarded as one of Africa’s foremost digital innovators. Best known for founding ulesson.com and previously founding konga.com, Shagaya has played a transformative role in the growth of Africa’s e-commerce and education technology sectors. His entrepreneurial vision has helped shape how millions of Africans shop, learn, and access digital services.
Born in Nigeria in 1975, Sim Shagaya spent part of his childhood in several African countries due to his family’s military background. He attended the Nigerian Military School before earning a degree in Electrical Engineering from George Washington University. He later obtained a Master of Science degree from Dartmouth College and an MBA from Harvard Business School, equipping him with a strong foundation in engineering, business, and leadership.
Shagaya began his career in South Africa, where he worked in banking and telecommunications before moving into digital media and online business. He founded several ventures, including DealDey, one of Nigeria’s first online daily deals platforms, which introduced many consumers to digital commerce and online transactions.
In 2012, he founded Konga, one of Nigeria’s pioneering e-commerce companies. Under his leadership, Konga rapidly expanded into one of Africa’s largest online marketplaces, offering a wide range of products while investing heavily in logistics, warehousing, secure digital payments, and customer service. His efforts helped build consumer confidence in online shopping and accelerated the growth of Nigeria’s digital retail ecosystem.
After leaving Konga, Sim Shagaya turned his attention to education technology. In 2019, he founded uLesson, an innovative learning platform that provides high-quality educational content through mobile applications and digital devices. The platform combines engaging video lessons, quizzes, personalized learning tools, and interactive technology to improve access to quality education for students across Africa. Under his leadership, uLesson has attracted significant international investment and expanded its reach to learners in multiple African countries.
Beyond his own companies, Shagaya has become an influential investor and mentor within Africa’s startup ecosystem. He actively supports emerging entrepreneurs through investments, advisory roles, and leadership programs, encouraging innovation across sectors such as fintech, healthtech, logistics, artificial intelligence, and enterprise software.
A respected thought leader, Sim Shagaya frequently speaks at global technology conferences, business forums, and entrepreneurship events, sharing insights on innovation, digital transformation, education, venture building, and Africa’s rapidly evolving technology landscape. His work continues to inspire a new generation of founders committed to solving African challenges through technology.
Today, Sim Shagaya remains one of Africa’s most influential technology entrepreneurs. Through his achievements in e-commerce, education technology, and startup development, he has made a lasting impact on Africa’s digital economy and continues to champion innovation that improves lives across the continent.