BamBamLoad: Building Materials Marketplace
A dual-sided digital marketplace digitising Nigeria's building materials supply chain, connecting KYC-verified suppliers with contractors and builders through smart matching, secure escrow payments, and real-time order tracking.
The Problem
Building materials procurement in Lagos is broken — contractors waste hours calling suppliers, pricing is opaque with hidden fees, and there is no reliable way to verify quality or track deliveries. Cash-based transactions create fraud risk and erode trust on both sides of the market.
The Solution
Engineered a dual-sided Next.js marketplace with separate buyer and supplier portals. Built smart supplier matching, in-platform price negotiation, Paystack-powered escrow payments with collection-code confirmation, and real-time order tracking — starting with sand procurement and expanding across material types.
Key Features
Smart supplier matching by location, material type, and delivery requirements
In-platform price negotiation with counter-offers between buyers and suppliers
Paystack-powered escrow payments held until delivery is confirmed via collection codes
Real-time order tracking from confirmation through final handover
KYC-verified supplier onboarding (CAC, TIN, and business documentation)
Dynamic quote calculator with transparent distance and delivery fee breakdowns
Integrated wallet system for payments, refunds, and transaction history
Dedicated buyer and supplier portals with tailored dashboards
Architecture & Tech Decisions
Role-separated buyer and supplier portals sharing a unified order and payment layer
Escrow payment orchestration with Paystack checkout and webhook-driven state updates
Server-state management for orders, inventory, negotiations, and verification status
Progressive KYC onboarding with document upload and approval workflows
Challenges Faced
Building trust in a market accustomed to offline cash and phone-based negotiations
Coordinating order, payment, and delivery state across three parties in real time
Designing mobile-first flows for contractors operating on active construction sites
What I'd Improve
Expand material categories beyond sand into cement, aggregates, and steel
Add delivery partner integrations for GPS-based last-mile tracking
Build supplier analytics for demand forecasting and inventory optimization
Digitised a critical segment of Nigeria's construction supply chain — trusted by 500+ builders in Lagos with transparent pricing, verified suppliers, and deliveries across all Lagos LGAs.