02 Nov 2022
eCOMMERCE NEWS, Venture Capital Funding
November 2, 2022

5 eCommerce Platforms Taking African Informal Trading to the Next Level

As an avid supporter of the emerging market, the AB&H Cluster is truly excited to see these trailblazers make their mark in the global market as this is a clear indicator that the growing businesses we collaborate with will have places to sell their products once they're ready to launch!

The rise of entrepreneurship in Africa has led to eCommerce being taken more seriously by consumers and becoming more accessible. As a result, African informal merchandisers are getting more access to a wider range of customers through eCommerce platforms linking small shopkeepers with merchandise suppliers. Apps and digital channels are allowing informal traders to up their game. 

 

 

1. Omnibiz

Omnibiz, founded in 2019, is an entrant in the B2B e-commerce space aimed at retail supply chains in Nigeria and Ghana. Omnibiz acts as an infrastructure layer that connects the supply chain value chain thus connecting manufacturers, distributors and logistics providers) to retail. Operating fully in the digital realm is a huge game-changer, as Omnibiz doesn’t have its own logistics operations yet recently closed a US$15 million capital investment. Congrats are in order! 

 

2. Wasoko

Wasoko is a platform that operates with retailers and communities in Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, Sénégal, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Uganda. The company offers strategies to grow informal economies in Africa by directly dealing with retail constraints. The company offers delivery on demand, financing for growth and researching African market trends. 

 

 

 

3. TradeDepot

TradeDepot simplifies product distribution by buying inventory from suppliers. The registration process is quite simple, and clients can simplify the entire retail process from shipping to pricing. 

 

MarketForce raises $40 million Series A, introduces BNPL merchant stock financing | TechCrunch

 

4. MarketForce

MarketForce is a Kenyan-based company launched in 2018 by Tesh Mbaabu and Mesongo Sibuti. Based in Nairobi, the platform hosts thousands of informal merchants; mainly using MarketForce’s B2B Commerce and Fintech marketplace, RejaReja, to source, order and pay for inventory at any time via interactive mobile channels, and get it delivered directly to their store by the nearest distributor, within hours, every day.  

 

 

 

 

Twiga starts commercial farming, looking to guarantee quality, sustain supply | TechCrunch5. Twiga  

Twiga is addressing the issue of food security and food deserts in Kenya by connecting fruit and veggie vendors to farmers, suppliers, vendors and customers with high-quality produce, groceries and home goods.