As the lines between e-commerce and messaging continue to blur, African software startup is positioning itself at the center of a new wave in digital retail—. Through a landmark partnership with , one of Africa’s leading payments infrastructure companies, Chpter has now extended its reach to , taking its pan-African presence to a total of .

The partnership grants merchants in countries like the ability to accept local and international payments directly via , two of the continent’s most influential digital platforms. Powered on the backend by Flutterwave’s secure, multi-currency payment engine, Chpter’s expansion unlocks a unified solution for merchants to sell, communicate, and get paid—all within the chat apps their customers already use daily.

What makes this move especially significant is not just its geographic footprint, but the : the rise of conversational commerce, the growing adoption of AI in business operations, and the demand for simple, seamless payments across borders.

At its core, Chpter enables businesses—particularly SMEs—to transform conversations into conversions. The company’s tools allow merchants to list products, manage orders, run campaigns, and respond to customers across multiple messaging apps from a single, unified dashboard.

With up to for its merchants now coming from , Chpter’s platform is optimized for where real customer engagement happens today—not on websites, but in chat threads. And as a , Chpter has privileged access to tools that deepen this interaction: product catalogs, marketing APIs, and embedded checkout experiences inside messaging platforms.

This means that a customer in Uganda can browse a boutique’s catalog on WhatsApp, place an order, and pay instantly via mobile money or card—all without ever leaving the chat.

Chpter isn’t just a commerce tool—it’s becoming an . The company’s flagship feature, , allows businesses to automate sales and customer service conversations through smart assistants trained to respond to FAQs, capture orders, and even recommend products.

According to Chpter’s co-founder and President , nearly on Chpter are already handled by AI, with expectations to reach as the technology evolves and merchant confidence grows. This automation isn’t about replacing people, he notes, but about ensuring , especially in Africa’s time-zone-fragmented markets.

Chpter’s latest release, , a comprehensive , supports developers and large enterprises in designing more interactive, end-to-end user experiences within the chat ecosystem—from lead capture and onboarding to sales and support.

While Chpter handles the interface, Flutterwave is the engine that makes commerce possible. The fintech giant’s infrastructure ensures that whether a transaction is happening in , merchants can accept —with local currency settlement and global compliance built in.

“Partnering with Chpter enables us to continue empowering merchants in Africa by equipping them with the right tools to connect and transact directly with customers on platforms they already trust,” said , Flutterwave’s VP of Global Expansion & Partnerships. “We’re making buying and selling faster, safer, and more intuitive.”

This infrastructure partnership allows Chpter to offer a truly localized solution in each market, without merchants having to worry about the technical or regulatory complexity of cross-border payments.

Established in 2022 by a team of four co-founders: Tesh Mbaabu, Mesongo Sibuti, Kuria Kevin, and Mark Kiarie, Chpter secured $1.2 million during its pre-seed investment round spearheaded by Pani, an investment firm and participation from a diverse group of investors, including Plesion Capital, Techstars, Norrsken, Renew Capital, and ViKtoria Ventures.

Chpter’s momentum is undeniable. It took the company over a year to onboard its first 1,000 merchants—but it added in 2025 alone. What’s more impressive is that new users are signing up in countries where Chpter has done , signaling organic demand for a solution that bridges social engagement and payments.

CEO noted that businesses in are joining in droves, demonstrating a clear hunger for tools that can turn WhatsApp chats into full-fledged storefronts.

With a ranging from $50 to $550 per month, and additional revenue from messaging and AI services, Chpter is proving that —as long as pricing and design reflect local realities.

What Chpter and Flutterwave are building isn’t just another digital tool—it’s the infrastructure for a new kind of economy. One where , where , and where payments happen in real time, regardless of geography.

As the continent’s entrepreneurs continue to build the future, Chpter’s expansion proves that when technology meets trust and timing, even a chat message can become a thriving business transaction.

P.S

To celebrate, Chpter is offering a special 15% discount (use coupon code FLW15) until the end of June 2025 for merchants signing up across all the new countries