Week 10 - Chapter 9 Social Computing

 Rabawa and the Rise of Social Computing in African Commerce



Introduction

Hello. This week's reading was on Social Computing. Social computing happens when people, not institutions, become creators, curators, and connectors of digital content and value, such as Wikipedia, TikTok or your local buy-and-sell WhatsApp or Facebook Marketplace groups. It's people-powered, community-driven and trust-based platforms. 

Social commerce involves selling and buying through social platforms like Instagram, WhatsApp, and Facebook. It's personalised, informal, and hyper-local. In Africa, where formal retail infrastructure is often inaccessible, this model isn't just popular but also transformative to the local economy. 

Main Reflection

Rabawa, a Nigerian startup launched in 2021, is making vast changes by turning anyone with a smartphone into a digital entrepreneur. Here is how it works.

- Anyone can sign up as a reseller.

- Sellers have access to a virtual catalogue of thousands of products.

- They can promote and sell their products using WhatsApp, Instagram and other social networking tools.

- Rabawa handles the logistics, payments and commissions in the background.

It's frictionless for users, people-first, and powered by social trust, which you wouldn't get from billboards or banner ads. 

Rabawa matters to Africa's economy because it's context-aware and tackles challenges faced in Africa:

* challenges unemployment, offering income opportunities with 0 capital required.

* The platform connects resellers to suppliers directly

* Manages fulfilment so individuals don't have to. 

The big picture about what Rabawa can teach us this week is that it embodies the shift from centralised to decentralised commerce, such as e-commerce, where big platforms do all the selling and place the networking in the hands of the individual, giving them the opportunity to have their own digital presence. Rabawa is a prime example of what can happen when technology meets human behaviour, instead of trying to replace it.

Conclusion 

Overall, in an age of social computing, commerce is no longer about who has the biggest warehouse but who has the strongest community. Rabawa proves that when communities are trusted with the tools to build their own futures, they do far more than sell products—they shift economies. 

Reference:

FenixCommerce. (2024, June 9). How social commerce is growing and why it will shape e-commerce in the future. retrieved from https://fenixcommerce.com/how-social-commerce-is-growing-and-why-it-will-shape-e-commerce-in-the-future/ 

Comments

  1. Taylah BritzMay 25, 2025 at 6:49 AM

    This is a really insightful reflection on social computing and how Rabawa is transforming commerce in Africa. I like how you showed Rabawa using social trust and technology to empower individuals and tackle real challenges. It really highlights how community-driven commerce can transform economies, especially in local contexts.

    ReplyDelete
  2. JudeMay 26, 2025 at 2:07 AM

    totally agree, main point which stood out to me was how you highlighted the human presence behind social commuting.

    ReplyDelete
  3. NemaniMay 26, 2025 at 6:02 AM

    I really liked how Rabawa was described as "technology meeting human behavior instead of trying to replace it"—that insight perfectly captures the platform’s strength in empowering individuals through familiar tools like social media, making digital entrepreneurship both accessible and deeply human-centered.

    ReplyDelete

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