Inspired by peculiar market circumstances in the west African country of Togo, the DuSa Application, a search platform for selling local products, with more than 1,000 products already listed therein and more than 400 local product sales brands registered on the platform, offers patrons an avenue for interface with product agents, as well as provides information on prices and availability of products.

Dodji Tchalla, a young Togolese digital businessperson who is the brain behind DuSa, says the app lets clients search for local items’ sales platforms around them, suggesting that the app is gradually tackling the problems of low interest in Togo-made products and poor accessibility of products in the markets.

According to Abide Balouki, the Togolese promoter of Abi Food, increasing her clientele base and turnover was quite challenging until she put her local products store on the platform. She has since seen a significant increase in her following and, by extension, her business.  “The sale of local products is not well appreciated by the Togolese population. But we can say that this is starting to change. The fact of having more customers already brings more turnover” Balouki said.

Tchalla told journalists that he has recorded about an 80% satisfaction rate among the users of the app. He mentioned that people were quite sceptical initially seeing that it was new, but the enthusiasm about the app is rising fast today.

Kpatcha Akaba, a user of the Dusa app, says “The application has allowed me to have easy access thanks to the sales points. Currently, there is even a way to find a point of sale that is very close to us.”

According to first-hand feedback from users, the DuSa app has gradually positioned itself as an optimized search tool for the points of sale of local products, but beyond that, the application also seeks to serve as a platform where financial establishments and their support structures can get reliable statistics.

This digital key seems to have brought hope to entrepreneurs who deal with made-in-Togo products. It is also serving the local business community as a digital display for local products.