With this, the innovative e-commerce store builder empowering creators to monetise their knowledge and skills as digital products, is expanding  its reach to both secondary and tertiary students across Nigeria.

The initiative reiterates the company’s focus on tackling fraud at its roots by providing education and legitimate opportunities for young people.

This year, Selar is committing N10 million to support 150 students at critical stages of their academic journey.

Fifty final-year university and polytechnic students will each receive N100,000, while 100 SS3 students preparing for WAEC and JAMB exams will receive N50,000 each. Applications open February 24 and close March 13, 2026.

The Smart Hustle Initiative operates on the belief that preventing fraud starts with access to education and legitimate income pathways.

With school fees becoming more expensive, reports reveal a 200% increase in Nigeria, many families are unable to afford education.

Selar’s program aims to ease these issues while empowering students to pursue lawful, rewarding opportunities.

Beyond grants, the initiative is evolving into a larger movement. Selar plans nationwide campaigns, community engagement programs, and partnerships to groom young Nigerians with digital skills, financial literacy, and ethical income opportunities.

“There is so much to the fraud culture in Nigeria today, and the Smart Hustle Initiative is our response to it,” said Douglas Kendyson, CEO of Selar.

“Our big goal is to reduce the number of people drawn into fraud while offering legitimate pathways to success. This fund is a very small piece of the puzzle. It’s a simple cushion for students needing support.  

“Hopelessness is very dangerous for parents and students alike, and if this fund can give hope for them to keep their head up, it would be money well spent.”

In targeting students at key transitions, from SS3 exams to final-year tertiary studies, Selar hopes to reduce the financial stress that can push students out of school or toward fraudulent activities.

The initiative is built as a long-term investment in Nigeria’s youth and an important step toward promoting education as a credible path to economic mobility.

Eligibility requirements for the university category include:

• Final-year enrollment in an accredited Nigerian institution
• Minimum CGPA of 3.0 or 65% cumulative grade
• Proven financial need
• Submission of a video statement of purpose, valid student ID, and latest transcript

For secondary school applicants, proof of SS3 status or recent school results, WAEC or JAMB registration, and a video application are required.

Applications are reviewed by an independent selection committee, with beneficiaries notified after evaluation.

Call for Volunteers

Selar is also calling on individuals and communities to participate as volunteers, helping young people gain life skills, media awareness, and financial literacy alongside ethical income pathways.

Total payouts to creators was over $26 million (roughly ₦11 billion), up from ₦9.8 billion in 2024. 

These show that digital commerce for creators is a rapidly maturing space, and the platform you choose can make or break your revenue, your reach, and your workflow.

This article compares Selar and Flutterwave Store across three critical pillars, including creator monetisation, checkout conversion, and catalogue flexibility, so you can see which platform fits your needs best in 2026.

Creator Monetisation: Built for Creators vs. General Commerce

Selar is purpose‑built for creators. It isn’t just a storefront but a creator-first ecosystem designed for selling digital products, memberships, and services. 

By late 2025, Selar’s payout achievements and growing creator base showed faster monetisation. Its core strengths include:

• Multi-tier plans that provide advanced selling tools
• Integrated affiliate networks to increase reach and sales
• Automated tools for subscriptions, bundles, and recurring payments

From my perspective, Selar has gone far beyond helping creators sell to enhancing how revenue scales, letting you expand without juggling multiple tools.

Flutterwave Store, on the other hand, sits within Flutterwave’s payments infrastructure. It enables merchants to set up online stores quickly and accept payments globally, but it’s not designed specifically for creators. 

While it supports digital product sales, features like affiliate mechanics, subscription workflows, or creator‑specific monetisation paths are minimal.

So:

• Selar comes first if you prioritise creator revenue growth and digital product monetisation.
• Flutterwave Store works if you need a general commerce solution that can handle both digital and physical goods.

Checkout Conversion: From Click to Sale

The checkout experience can make or break a sale. Selar’s checkout is lean and designed for digital goods, keeping buyers on a single page with automated delivery once payment is confirmed. 

Multiple local and international payment gateways ensure friction is minimal.

Flutterwave Store leverages Flutterwave’s reliable payment infrastructure, covering cards, bank transfers, mobile money, and more. 

The checkout is technically solid but less tailored for digital products, meaning creators may need extra tools to handle delivery, subscriptions, or automated follow-ups.

In essence:

• Selar has the edge for digital product conversion, keeping the path from cart to delivery smooth.
• Flutterwave Store is solid for wider commerce but not optimised for creator-focused sales funnels.

Catalogue Flexibility: One Product or Many

Digital creators usually juggle multiple formats: ebooks, courses, templates, music, memberships, and bundles.

Selar accommodates this complexity. Its catalogue system supports bundles, affiliate tracking, automated content delivery, and flexible product presentation, all tailored for digital creators.

Flutterwave Store can list multiple products and variants, with basic descriptions and sales tracking. It’s great for physical goods and simple service offerings but lacks advanced digital-specific catalogue features, like drip content or subscription management.

Hence:

• Selar is far more flexible for digital product management.
• Flutterwave Store is great for general product listings but is less sophisticated for digital creators.

Head-to-Head Comparison Table

If you’re a creator whose main revenue stream is digital products, Selar provides the tools, infrastructure, and proven track record to grow consistently. 

The 2.2 million users and over $26 million in payouts by 2025 illustrate just how serious and scalable the platform is.

If you want a flexible commerce engine capable of handling both digital and physical products, Flutterwave Store is highly reliable, with unmatched payment infrastructure. 

It fits sellers who value broad commerce reach over digital product optimisation.

Bottom line, Flutterwave Store or Selar?

• Creators focusing on digital product sales → Selar
• Sellers blending digital and physical products → Flutterwave Store

In a fast-changing startup ecosystem where innovation often outpaces visibility, communications strategist Jonah Solomon delivers a timely and practical guide for founders with his latest book, Scrappy Strategies – Public Relations for Startups: How Founders Can Win Customers and Credibility Without Big Budgets.

Released October 20, 2025, this 199-page volume stands out as an essential field manual for early-stage entrepreneurs who must navigate Africa’s competitive business landscape with limited resources.

Drawing from years of hands-on experience, Solomon distills proven principles that help startups craft compelling stories, connect with the right audiences, and build authentic brands that stand out, not by spending more, but by thinking smarter.

Jonah Solomon, a communications strategist passionate about helping startups tell their stories and scale with impact, brings impressive credibility to this work.

He is the Founder of Yadel Media, a PR consultancy focused on the finance and technology sectors, where he has advised some of the continent’s most innovative companies, including a unicorn.

He also co-founded SquirrelPR, Africa’s first PR management software designed to connect organisations with journalists, streamline communications, and combat misinformation.

An award-winning former journalist, Solomon began his career reporting on Africa’s vibrant startup ecosystem before transitioning into public relations.

His storytelling background gives him a rare advantage, a dual understanding of media dynamics and business realities.

He holds a Master’s degree in Mass Communication from Pan-Atlantic University, Lagos, where he honed his craft in strategic communication, narrative building, and brand positioning.

In the foreword, Adegoke Adeniyi, founder and CEO of TechPR Africa, describes Scrappy Strategies as “a playbook every African founder needs to own.”

He notes that the book bridges the gap between creativity and communication discipline, demystifying public relations and showing that effective storytelling and credibility can be achieved without large budgets or big PR agencies.

Across its chapters, Scrappy Strategies explores vital themes such as identifying and owning your brand voice, mastering media relations, leveraging digital storytelling, and building community-driven visibility, all grounded in the realities of lean startup operations.

The book’s greatest strength lies in its actionable strategies, relatable case studies, and practical frameworks that founders can immediately apply to amplify credibility, attract customers, and grow sustainably.

Ultimately, Scrappy Strategies is more than a book, it’s a mindset shift for founders and startup communicators. Solomon’s message is clear: you don’t need millions to make an impact; you just need clarity, consistency, and creativity.

Already receiving positive reviews from early readers, Scrappy Strategies is fast establishing itself as a must-read guide for African entrepreneurs, PR professionals, and anyone committed to building influential brands that matter in today’s digital economy.

The book is available in bookshops across Nigeria, and on Amazon and Selar.