Galafy CEO: Technology Should Preserve Nigerian Culture, Not Replace It

Nigerian fintech entrepreneur and Galafy Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, Adewole Akanji, has said technology should complement Nigerian culture rather than replace the traditions that make celebrations unique.

Akanji made the statement during the launch of Galafy, a digital gifting platform designed to help Nigerians send and receive monetary gifts during weddings, birthdays, concerts, religious gatherings and other celebrations.

The platform is built around one of Nigeria’s most familiar celebration traditions, giving money to family, friends, couples, performers and event hosts, but moves the practice into a digital environment.

Galafy takes traditional money spraying into the digital age

According to Akanji, Galafy was created to make the act of giving during celebrations easier and safer while retaining the cultural meaning behind it.

“Galafy was born from a simple idea: celebrating the people we care about should be easy, secure and accessible to everyone, no matter where they are,” he said.

He stressed that the goal is not to eliminate traditional Nigerian customs, but to use technology to make them more relevant in a rapidly changing economy.

“We’re not trying to replace our culture. We’re using technology to preserve it in a way that fits today’s world and tomorrow’s economy,” Akanji added.

The fintech platform provides a digital alternative to the traditional practice of spraying physical cash at events. Users can send monetary gifts from their mobile devices while keeping track of transactions in real time.

“Users can legally send digital ‘sprays’, monitor every gift in real time and receive monetary gifts instantly from family, friends and supporters anywhere in the world,” he said.

Nigerians abroad can join celebrations from anywhere

One of the platform’s major selling points is its ability to connect people who cannot physically attend an event with celebrations taking place in Nigeria.

Akanji said family members and friends living outside the country can send monetary gifts instantly to weddings, birthdays and other occasions without needing to be physically present.

The approach could also make it easier for Nigerians in the diaspora to participate in important family moments while reducing the dependence on physical cash.

Galafy said its digital model aligns with Nigeria’s broader move towards a cashless economy by giving people another way to exchange money during social and cultural events.

Galafy targets weddings, birthdays, concerts and live events

Galafy is available on Android and iOS, with the platform designed for different types of celebrations and users.

Newly married couples, event hosts, performers, content creators, family members and friends can receive digital gifts through the platform.

The service also has applications beyond traditional ceremonies, with the company highlighting its usefulness for content creators who host livestreams and interact with audiences online.

Rather than limiting gifting to people physically present at an event, Galafy allows supporters to participate digitally and send money in real time.

CTO says security and simplicity were central to the platform

Galafy Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer, Kolawole Martin, said the company focused on making the platform simple enough for people across different age groups while maintaining the security expected from a modern fintech service.

“Our goal was to build a platform that feels effortless for users while providing the security, speed and reliability expected from a modern fintech solution. Every feature in Galafy has been designed with simplicity, trust and scalability in mind,” Martin said.

He added that the company wants users to be able to adopt the service without struggling with complicated processes, while ensuring that transactions remain secure.

Galafy aims to connect culture with a cashless future

Founded by Adewole Akanji and Kolawole Martin, Galafy is positioning itself at the intersection of Nigerian culture and financial technology.

The company believes digital gifting can modernise the way Nigerians celebrate without stripping away the social importance of giving.

By allowing people to send monetary gifts digitally, monitor transactions and receive funds instantly, the platform is seeking to bring a familiar Nigerian tradition into an increasingly cashless economy.

For Galafy, the bigger idea is not simply replacing physical cash with smartphones. It is about keeping the culture of giving alive while changing the way Nigerians participate in celebrations.