Black Market SSP Earns a 60 Proof of Usefulness Score by Building Real-Time Currency Tracking

This is an interview with Kuir Arok, the creator of Black Market SSP. Black Market SSP is a mobile and web application designed to track real-time parallel market currency rates and petroleum production data in South Sudan.

What does Black Market SSP do? And why is now the time for it to exist?

BlackMarket SSP tracks black market and official currency exchange rates, plus daily petroleum production in South Sudan. Available on web, Android, and iOS, the app uses React Native for the UI, Node.js/Express.js for the backend, and Firebase Realtime Database. Features include real-time data, social interaction (voting/commenting), and accurate rate estimations. Now’s a good time for Black Market SSP to exist because currency instability and the gap between official and parallel rates in South Sudan create an urgent need for transparent, real-time financial information for everyday citizens.

What is your traction to date? How many people does Black Market SSP reach?

Over 200 people

Who does your project serve? What’s exciting about your users and customers?

This project targets currency exchange traders and everyday citizens interested in monitoring daily currency fluctuations.

What technologies were used in the making of Black Market SSP? And why did you choose ones most essential to your techstack?

The application leverages React Native to deliver a consistent user interface across mobile platforms, while Node.js and Express.js manage the backend logic. Firebase Realtime Database was chosen as a critical component to ensure that volatile exchange rates and user votes are synchronized instantly across all devices.

What is the traction to date for Black Market SSP? Around the web, who’s been noticing?

The project is currently live on the Google Play Store, where it has secured over 100 downloads, validating its initial utility in the mobile space. While web and iOS presence are part of the roadmap, the current traction highlights a focused adoption among Android users looking for immediate access to market data.

What excites you about this project's potential usefulness?

This project has the potential to become a daily-use product for checking parallel market currency rates, which are frequently used in everyday transactions.