Demfati is emerging as one of Africa’s most relevant innovations in digital event infrastructure. Built by Nigerian technologist Emmanuel Ekunke and co-founders, Clement Donatus and Gracious (Besor) Ekunke, and headquartered in Calabar, the platform enables organisers to sell tickets, run events, manage RSVPs, collect payments, host voting and process digital forms, all directly through WhatsApp and Telegram.
Demfati recognised early that while several ticketing tools exist in Africa, adoption remains low because people often distrust new platforms or avoid downloading unfamiliar apps. GSMA research supports this insight, showing that over 74% of Africans consider messaging apps their most trusted digital channel, while Meta reports that more than 50 million businesses already operate through WhatsApp.
Demfati solves this by embedding event infrastructure inside platforms that are already deeply woven into social and commercial life. Instead of forcing organisers to build websites or integrate multiple tools, Demfati provides an all-in-one SaaS ecosystem that manages everything from ticket creation and payments to verification, attendance tracking, voting integrity and digital receipts.
In less than a year, the platform has processed millions in transactions, powered numerous events end to end, helped organisers scale and built strong user trust, with increasing reliance on Demfati to handle complex event operations seamlessly.
This approach reflects Africa’s event culture, where informal networks drive participation. The World Bank estimates that 85% of Sub-Saharan Africa’s economy is informal, with churches, student unions, professional bodies, alumni groups, civic communities and creatives constantly organising gatherings, programmes and elections. Yet many lack access to reliable digital tools. Demfati lowers these barriers by offering a simple, familiar and cost-efficient system that works inside everyday chat environments.
Messaging platforms matter in this context. WhatsApp alone has more than 500 million users in Africa, making it arguably the continent’s largest digital marketplace. Telegram continues to grow for its privacy features and low data usage.
Industry analysts have reported the rise of WhatsApp-native businesses globally, signalling a shift toward chat-based commerce and automation. Demfati aligns with this movement but brings a distinctly African focus, digitising ticketing, participation, verification and payments in a way communities find intuitive.
Security, transparency and ease of use are core advantages. Automated QR codes, digital receipts, vote tracking and verified attendance help reduce fraud, gate-crashing and manual errors that often undermine events. Statista reports that youth digital payment adoption in Africa has passed 55%, meaning people are increasingly willing to transact within chat-based ecosystems, further validating Demfati’s model.
Ultimately, Demfati represents a new phase of African innovation where technology adapts to behavioural realities rather than demanding change. By situating event infrastructure inside the platforms people already live on, Emmanuel Ekunke and his team are not just building software, they are powering a modern event economy, making experiences more accessible, trustworthy and rewarding for organisers and participants across Africa.
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