For many African SMEs, accessing foreign currency remains a costly and cumbersome part of importing goods. Clea offers a simpler payment route by combining currency conversion, overseas settlement and upfront pricing in one platform.
Sheriff Olayinka Adedokun, a Nigerian computer scientist and serial entrepreneur, is the founder and CEO of Clea, a payment platform designed to simplify international transactions for African importers.
Founded in 2024, his platform allows businesses to pay suppliers, freight companies and auction houses abroad directly. It helps them overcome the usual difficulties involved in obtaining foreign currency and navigating cross-border payments.
The process is straightforward: a business funds its account in local currency, Clea converts the money into the required currency, then transfers it to the beneficiary. This removes the need for businesses to source foreign currency themselves and reduces their reliance on multiple intermediaries. Clea also displays all fees before a transaction is confirmed, giving users a clear view of the cost in advance.
Although Clea primarily targets importers, it also serves exporters, logistics companies and other businesses involved in international trade. Through a single interface, users can manage overseas partners, track transactions in real time and review their transaction history.
From coding to entrepreneurship: more than a decade in tech
Adedokun also leads Pushbio, a platform he launched in 2022. It provides tools for content creators, freelancers, agencies and small and medium-sized businesses looking to grow their social media presence and generate revenue online.
His entrepreneurial journey began in 2017 with the creation of Hostmeng Web Solution, a web hosting company. He later co-founded Techly Innovation in 2020 to help organizations expand their digital presence. In 2022, he founded Plugli, a company offering fast and affordable solutions to improve the online visibility of small businesses.
Adedokun holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Kwara State University in Nigeria. He began his professional career in 2013 with an IT internship at Livestotech Consult. The following year, he joined the TalkAfrica forum as an online editor and moderator.
He later gained experience in both digital marketing and web development, working as a digital marketing specialist at TechMate Digital Solution in 2015 and as a WordPress developer for Smart Financial Solutions in 2016. From 2019 to 2022, he worked as a web developer at Digital Schools, an Australian organization focused on education management and administration.
Melchior Koba
