In 2021, a promising African startup raised millions in funding. Their pitch was perfect, their team was solid, and investors were excited. Two years later, they were gone. What happened?They built a solution in search of a problem.This isn’t just their story — it’s the story of hundreds of African startups that shut down every year because they don’t fully understand the problem they are trying to solve. In a market where funding is tight and competition is fierce, entrepreneurs don’t have the luxury of guessing.
I’m Innocent, co-founder of Startinev, and I’ve spent years working with startups across Africa – mentoring, investing, and building. If there’s one thing I’ve learnt, it’s this: The most successful founders are obsessed with the problem, not the solution.
Take Duhqa, for example. They didn’t start with the idea of a logistics platform. They started by deeply understanding the pain points of small retailers – delayed deliveries, unpredictable pricing, and lack of working capital. That relentless focus on the problem is why they’re still standing today.
The Startup Graveyard: What the Data Says
Let’s talk numbers. In 2023 alone, over 600 African startups shut down. The most common reasons?
1. No market need (38%) – “ They built something nobody actually needed.
2. Running out of cash (35%) – “ They spent money solving the wrong thing.
3. Product-market mismatch (14%) – “ They solved a symptom, not the real problem.
Now, imagine if those founders had spent six more months just understanding the problem. How many of those startups would still be alive today?
How to Truly Understand the Problem You’re Solving
1. Live the Problem Before Solving It
Great founders don’t brainstorm solutions in air-conditioned offices. They immerse themselves in the chaos of the problem.
If you’re solving logistics, spend a week with a distributor riding through Nairobi’s traffic jams.
If you’re solving payments, work in a market stall for a few days and try making M-Pesa transactions all day.
If you’re solving farming inefficiencies, live on a farm for a month and understand what breaks down every day.
Duhqa’s team didn’t assume what retailers needed – they spent time in the dukas (small shops), understanding their frustrations firsthand. That’s how they knew logistics wasn’t just about delivery – it was about trust, financing, and timing.
2. Talk to 100+ People (Yes, 100!)
Most founders talk to five people and assume they understand the problem. That’s not enough.
Before launching, you should have spoken to at least 100+ potential users.
What workarounds are they using?
What frustrates them the most? How much are they currently spending to solve this problem?
And don’t just ask what they want – watch what they do. People often say one thing and do another.
Photo by Sigmund on Unsplash
3. Super Focus: Solve One Problem, Not Five
One of the biggest mistakes African startups make is trying to solve everything at once.
M-Pesa didn’t start as a fintech super app. They solved one thing first – sending money without a bank.
Duhqa didn’t try to fix all supply chain problems. They started with simplifying logistics for small retailers.
Super focus is the secret weapon of winning startups.
Pick one problem. Solve it deeply. Make your solution 10x better than anything else in the market. Then, and only then, expand.
4. Measure, Adapt, and Keep Learning
Your first solution will probably be wrong. That’s okay. What matters is how fast you learn.
Track usage: Are people using your product as expected?
Listen: What are they complaining about? What unexpected problems are showing up?
Pivot if needed: If you learn the problem is different than you thought, change fast.
The Impact of Getting It Right
When you understand the problem at a deep level, three things happen:
1. Your product becomes a necessity, not a luxury. Users don’t need to be convinced – it just makes sense.
2. You attract investors who see long-term potential. Great solutions raise funding even in bad markets.
3. You build a sustainable business. Because you’re solving something people will always need.
Final Thoughts: Will You Be in the 38% or the 10%?
Here’s the hard truth: Most startups fail. But the ones that win go deeper than anyone else.
Before you build, ask yourself:
Have I spent time experiencing this problem firsthand?
Have I spoken to at least 100+ people dealing with this issue?
Am I solving the core problem or just a symptom?
Am I focused enough, or am I trying to do too much?
In Africa’s tough but opportunity-filled market, only the deeply obsessed survive.
So, what’s the problem you’re solving? And are you solving it deeply enough?
If this resonated with you, then you’re exactly the kind of entrepreneur we built Startinev on the Go for. Every week, we break down real, practical lessons for African founders no fluff, just insights that help you build smarter and last longer.
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