Douglas Kendyson: Civil engineer turned software innovator, building digital infrastructure for Africa

When Douglas Kendyson went to university, he had a dream of becoming a civil engineer. However, while studying civil engineering, which he completed but never practiced, Kendyson discovered a passion for building not just physical structures but digital ones — products, platforms and tools that could impact millions.

He learned how to code, built small applications and joined tech communities, eventually deciding to pivot fully into software engineering. 

This bold move led him down a path of innovation and entrepreneurship, culminating in the founding of Selar, a platform empowering creators and digital entrepreneurs across Africa to sell their products with ease. Kendyson's journey is a testament to how following curiosity and adapting to change can lead to unexpected, impactful careers.

Started in 2016 while he held full-time jobs at companies like Paystack and Flutterwave, Kendyson took a leap of faith in 2020 to focus on growing the platform, a gamble that paid off for the Nigerian-born entrepreneur.

Selar is currently Africa’s largest creator platform for digital creators and it is building roots in Kenya. In the past year, Selar facilitated over Sh1.3 billion in payments to African creators. This impressive achievement comes from Selar’s over one million registered users and over three hundred thousand creators across 15 African countries.

The African creator economy is booming, and Kendyson believes he is at the forefront of this growth. According to market intelligence company Coherent MI, the market size of Africa’s creative economy was estimated at $3.08 billion (Sh397.9 billion) in 2023 and is projected to reach $17.84 billion (Sh2.3 trillion) by 2030, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 28.5 per cent. 

The creative economy refers to the class of entrepreneurs, artists, influencers, bloggers and other content creators who leverage online platforms to earn income through their creative skills and talents.

The Star spoke to Kendyson on his personal journey and the future of the creator space as he eyes East Africa with Kenya as the launch pad.

Who is Douglas Kendyson? I am a Nigerian entrepreneur, fintech professional and the founder and CEO of Selar, Africa’s largest creator platform. My background is in software engineering and financial technology, with prior experience at Flutterwave and Paystack. Today, I am focused on empowering African creators and entrepreneurs to build sustainable digital businesses.

What was your childhood dream and did it come true?

I wanted to be a civil engineer because I loved buildings and wanted to be able to build very nice buildings. I went ahead to study civil engineering because of that dream, but by my fourth year in university, I realised being a civil engineer required me to be under the sun all the time and I really hate that, plus I got into software around the time, so I finished getting my degree but never practiced….haha.

From a civil engineering student to a software engineer, tell us about it?

It is a long story, but the short version is, I loved the power to create stuff, building software gave so I started learning how to write code in my third year of uni, and by the time I learned so much, I enjoyed software way too much and enjoyed the money even more, so I never looked back. I also kept thinking about the potential earnings in each career path. As a software engineer, I figured it might take around three to four years of intense work to reach the level of financial freedom I wanted. In contrast, with civil engineering, the journey felt much longer—maybe 10–15 years….an exaggeration, but that is how it seemed to me.

What inspired you to start Selar and what exactly does it do?

I realised many Africans had knowledge and skills they wanted to share, but they lacked the right tools to sell them online and get paid easily. When I was with Paystack, we had a lot of customers asking for a simple way to sell digital products but at the time, it was not a thing.  Selar was born to solve that. It is an online store builder that enables anyone to sell digital products like ebooks, courses, memberships, tickets for African creators  and receive payments globally.

How did you start the platform?

In 2016, I began working on Selar as a side project, initially for digital products. Over time, as we listened to creators, we kept adding more features like affiliate marketing, ticketing, coaching programme management until it evolved into the platform it is today.

Is it available to everyone? What is the reach?

Yes, Selar is available to anyone who wants to sell digital products or services. Today, we have over two million registered users across Africa and have paid out over $10 million (Sh1.3 billion ) to creators in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and beyond.

Why East Africa and Kenya as the entry point?

Kenya has one of the most vibrant digital economies in Africa, with a strong mobile money culture. It is a natural fit for Selar because our platform thrives where digital payments are widely adopted. Expanding here is a step towards our Pan-African dream.

Any challenges so far?

Like most startups, we have faced challenges ranging from building trust in a new digital system to navigating different payment landscapes across Africa. But each challenge has strengthened our resolve to create better solutions for creators.

What is your dream for Selar?

My dream is for Selar to become the go-to platform for digital entrepreneurship in Africa and to see millions of Africans achieve financial independence through the creator economy. Also, for Selar to be synonymous with digital products in Africa.

What is your take on Kenya’s e-commerce space?

Kenya is already one of the largest markets on Selar, with thousands of creators actively selling eBooks, courses, and tickets to events. This shows the appetite and readiness of Kenyans to embrace digital entrepreneurship and we are excited to keep supporting that growth with more localised tools and solutions.

 How best can content creators protect and monetise their work?

That is exactly why we built Selar - to give creators an easy way to turn their ideas, skills and content into income. Whether you’re selling an ebook, launching a course, or even hosting events, Selar helps you monetise directly while keeping your work secure. We have also built lots of systems to protect the creator’s work from theft and piracy.

How do you plan to support local creators with meaningful solutions?

We have built solutions and are still building more tailored to African creators. We are constantly improving, adding tools, expanding payment options and listening to feedback from the community. For us, it is not just about giving creators a platform, it is about making sure they have everything they need to grow, earn and thrive in their own space.

Tell us about your digital payment solutions?

We make it seamless for creators to get paid in multiple currencies whether it is Naira, Cedis, Shillings, Dollars, we support 14 currencies today. This flexibility allows them to reach global audiences without worrying about payment barriers.

What challenges do African entrepreneurs face and how can they overcome them?

Payment infrastructure, limited access to global markets and lack of trust in digital systems are major hurdles.

What is the achievement so far?

We have grown from an idea in 2016 to Africa’s largest creator platform, with over two million users and $10 million paid out to creators. That impact, for me, is our biggest achievement.

How has Selar impacted creators?

Creators now have access to tools that make them truly global. We have helped writers, coaches, event organisers and educators scale their businesses and earn income without borders.

What do you feel is your contribution to the digital economy?

Through Selar, I have contributed to democratising digital entrepreneurship in Africa making it possible for anyone with knowledge to build a business online in less than five minutes.

What makes you different?

I believe what sets me apart is my focus on real problems. Selar is not just about building a product, it is about creating tools that actually empower people to earn a living.

Where do you see the company in the next five to 10 years?

 In the next five to 10 years, I see Selar expanding into every African market, enabling millions more to build thriving digital businesses and positioning Africa as a global hub for creators.

If you were to do something differently, what would it be?

Looking back, I would have not spent a lot of time doubting if this would work. The demand for creator tools has always been there and I would have enjoyed the journey more if I had 100 per cent confidence this would work.