The opportunity
Informal lending between friends and family is common in Nigeria, but the process can be difficult to manage. Borrowers need convenient access to support, while lenders need confidence that expectations, repayment dates, and agreed terms will remain clear.
LoanFriends explored how a secure peer-to-peer experience could reduce that friction without removing the human relationship at the center of the transaction.
Research and key insights
The research combined interviews with potential users and an analysis of products including P2Vest, Abeg’s Bail Me, and Barter by Flutterwave. Five recurring needs shaped the direction:
- Security around funds and personal information.
- Trust between the lender and borrower.
- A simple interface for creating and responding to requests.
- Flexible loan terms and repayment schedules.
- Transparent communication and timely updates.
From insights to flows
The product direction centered on secure user profiles, streamlined loan requests and offers, flexible repayment plans, automated reminders, protected transactions, and direct communication between both parties.
Early wireframes were tested and refined before the final interface was developed. The information architecture kept each agreement legible: who is involved, what was agreed, what happens next, and when repayment is due.
The final experience
LoanFriends uses Sycamore’s existing user base to make onboarding more efficient, so returning customers do not need to re-enter information the platform already holds. The experience prioritizes a clean interface, clear transaction states, and visible repayment expectations.
The longer-term direction described in the original project also considers shareable web links, allowing people outside the Sycamore app to participate as the product evolves.
Outcome
The resulting experience gives lenders and borrowers a more structured way to agree terms, communicate, and follow repayment progress. No quantitative performance metrics were published with the original case study, so the outcome is presented here without unsupported claims.