Nestlé launches AI tool Maggi Mami to support women traders in West and Central Africa 

AFRICA – Nestlé has launched a pilot of Maggi Mami, an artificial intelligence-powered business advisor designed to support thousands of women food ingredient sellers across Central and West Africa (CWAR). 

The initiative targets informal market traders, commonly known as “mammies,” who play a central role in food distribution but often lack formal business training.  

Nestlé said the tool is designed to accelerate learning by offering practical guidance based on the experience of seasoned traders. 

“More than 70,000 mammies across CWAR make millions of meals possible every day by selling food ingredients in the quantities families need and can afford,” said Marcin Poplawski, Head of Food Strategic Business Unit at Nestlé S.A.  

“They also account for over 70% of Maggi’s sales in the region. With Maggi Mami, we are deepening our long-standing partnership by helping more women build the skills, confidence and resilience needed to grow successful businesses.” 

The AI tool, developed in partnership with Viamo, is designed for low-connectivity and low-literacy environments. It can be accessed through any basic mobile phone using a toll-free number and voice recognition in local languages, without requiring internet access or data. 

Users can ask questions directly and receive AI-generated responses drawn from a curated database of experienced mammies, ensuring that advice is practical and tailored to local market conditions. 

Nestlé said Maggi Mami builds on decades of engagement with market traders through training, signage, and business support programmes. The company noted that the new platform strengthens this relationship by combining community knowledge with digital innovation. 

In addition, a separate independent assessment by the KIT Institute highlighted positive outcomes from the Nestlé Income Accelerator programme. 

The report found that participating cocoa-farming households recorded a 4% increase in cocoa yields per hectare, while comparable households experienced a 16% decline, representing a 20 percentage point performance gap. During the 2024/2025 season, participating households produced an average of 2,116 kilograms of cocoa, about 500 kilograms more than non-participating households. 

The KIT Institute also reported a 114% increase in women classified as empowered compared with 2022, alongside a 23 percentage point rise in participation in Village Savings and Loans Associations.  

Food insecurity declined by 8 percentage points, while dietary diversity and ownership of productive assets improved across participating communities. 

The findings suggest stronger household resilience, improved productivity, and greater economic stability in farming communities involved in the programme. 

Sign up HERE to receive our email newsletters with the latest news and insights from Africa and around the world, and follow us on our WhatsApp channel for updates.