Nigerian Startup SecVite Reaches 600 Users as It Eyes Pre-Seed Funding

Nigerian event technology startup SecVite has reached 600 users since launching in October last year and is now considering pre-seed funding as it works to expand its operations and strengthen its position in the domestic market.

The self-funded startup has developed a mobile platform that combines several parts of event management into one system. These include ticketing, guest verification, invitations, RSVPs and payment processing. Rather than charging organisers an upfront subscription fee, SecVite earns revenue by taking a service fee of between 5% and 7.5% on transactions processed through the application.

Founder Hameed Yusuf, a senior software engineer with more than 10 years of experience, developed the platform after identifying how fragmented the process of organising an event can be. A single event may require organisers to move between messaging applications, online forms, spreadsheets and bank transfers to manage guests and payments.

SecVite was built to bring those activities together. Organisers can use the platform to manage attendee lists, send invitations, approve guests and track RSVPs while also controlling physical access to an event.

Testing the Platform

A central part of the platform is its QR code verification system. Guests can receive digital access credentials, which organisers can use to confirm attendance and manage entry at an event. The system was tested during Yusuf's own wedding, where an early version of SecVite was used to manage more than 400 guests. More than 300 attendees were checked in through the platform's QR code scanner. The wedding also became an important early test of how the technology could work in a real-world environment with a large number of attendees arriving within a limited period.

Many of the people who used the platform during the event experienced it as guests rather than organisers. SecVite is now looking to turn some of those users into customers who can use the application to organise and manage their own events.

Building Payments Into Event Management

Beyond guest management, SecVite has built payment tools into its platform. The system can process ticket purchases, vendor payments and financial contributions made during private events. It also includes a digital money-spray feature, reflecting the role that cash gifting can play during weddings and other celebrations in Nigeria.

The transaction model is central to how the company plans to generate revenue. Instead of relying on a fixed subscription, SecVite earns a percentage from transactions processed through the platform. That approach means growth will depend not only on attracting more users but also on encouraging organisers and guests to carry out more of their event-related payments through the application.

Focused on Building in Nigeria

SecVite is not planning an immediate expansion into other African markets. The company is instead focused on proving that its model can work at scale in Nigeria before looking beyond the country.

For the startup, the next stage involves increasing the number of active organisers using the platform and improving customer retention. Higher transaction volumes would also help demonstrate whether its transaction-based revenue model can generate sustainable income. The company's 600-user milestone provides an early indication of interest, but converting those users into regular organisers and transaction customers will be an important test as SecVite develops its business.

As it evaluates a potential pre-seed funding round, SecVite will be looking to build on its early traction while refining the product and expanding its reach within Nigeria's event industry.