A serial entrepreneur, he combines technical and financial expertise to modernize local commerce across Africa.

Sidy Niang (photo) is one of the co-founders of Maad, a Senegalese start-up that is modernizing supply chains to serve small retailers. Launched in 2020, Maad leverages technology to tackle a core challenge in African commerce: fragmented and inefficient distribution.

Through its digital platform, Maad connects suppliers directly to retailers. Store owners can order, pay, and arrange delivery with just a few clicks—reducing stockouts and logistics costs. “With our technology and logistics infrastructure, we support the economic development of traditional retail and the food and beverage businesses that are part of the Maad community,” the company says.

For suppliers, Maad offers real-time product performance tracking and benchmarking tools. A mobile app lets them manage sales teams and marketing operations. Their products also gain exposure to a network of 20,000 retailers, boosting sales growth.

A multi-faceted entrepreneur, Sidy Niang is also co-founder and investor in Joloff Food, a virtual corporate canteen based in Dakar. Founded in 2019, the service delivers over 6,000 meals a month.

Niang holds a Master’s in Finance and Strategy from CentraleSupélec in France, earned in 2016. He began his career in 2012 at Louis Vuitton in Paris, working as a consultant optimizing supply chains using emerging technologies.

In 2013, he joined Millicom (Tigo) in Senegal as a technical support engineer, before moving to BNP Paribas in 2014 as an M&A analyst. In 2015, he joined Mediterrania Capital Partners in Morocco as an investment analyst. The following year, he moved to the International Finance Corporation (IFC), where he served successively as an analyst and associate in investment.

By Melchior Koba,

Editing by Sèna D. B. de Sodji