Mr Eazi’s Choplife is the latest startup to move to digital free zone Itana

Choplife, a music, entertainment, media, technology, and intellectual property company founded by Nigerian musician Mr Eazi, has relocated its operations to Itana, Nigeria's first digital special economic zone. The decision was driven by Itana's favorable regulatory environment and the promise of simplified cross-border operations. Itana currently houses around 50 companies since its inception in September 2023.

Chinwe Inya, Itana's CEO, expressed excitement over Choplife's expansion, stating that the company's move reflects a growing trend of innovative businesses choosing to establish a presence in Itana for a global audience. Mr Eazi, whose real name is Oluwatosin Ajibade, agreed, describing Itana as a logical step for Choplife, as the majority of its content is generated on the continent and consumed globally.

Choplife's integration into Itana aims to address the fragmentation of running a pan-African business, such as navigating administrative frictions, licensing, banking, foreign exchange, and corporate rules, which Ajibade believes can act as a bottleneck to growth. By incorporating in an African digital jurisdiction, Choplife seeks to reduce know-your-customer (KYC) and know-your-business (KYB) frictions, banking and foreign exchange requirements, and corporate rules.

In response to these challenges, Choplife sought a jurisdiction that could minimize entry barriers and facilitate seamless scaling. Itana's digital-first structure, which offers multicurrency accounts, international market access, and a regulatory framework designed to minimize cross-border operational friction, provides an ideal solution for Choplife.

Incorporating in Itana can be completed in as little as two weeks, significantly reducing the administrative overhead compared to navigating different regulatory systems in each market.