Jiji, Nigeria’s online marketplace, has partnered OLX to redirect OLX users in Nigeria to Jiji and to acquire its businesses in Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, Anton Volyansky, Chief Executive Officer of Jiji says.
Volyansky on Thursday in a statement said the transaction was supported by one of Jiji’s principal investors, Digital Spring Ventures.
OLX group is a global online marketplace for the sale of electronics, fashion items, furniture, household goods, cars and Tec, founded in 2006 and operating in 45 countries in the world.
He said the deal would enable OLX users in those countries to benefit from Jiji’s products and services that have been ranked number one by Nigerian android users for shopping.
According to him, Jiji has over six million unique active users, 50,000 professional sellers listing over one million items in a rapidly growing market of about 200 million people.
He said: “We extend the warmest welcome to OLX’s users to Jiji and look forward to transforming the online retail experience in Africa as the region continues to transform itself economically and technologically.
“Jiji aims to provide its customers with the safest, most secure and enjoyable online shopping experience possible.”
Vladimir Mnogoletniy, Board Director and co-founder of Jiji, was quoted as saying that the partnership was important to Jiji’s future business model and success.
He said that it would facilitate building the continent’s largest Africa-based classified business serving a market with a combined population of over 300 million in some of the world’s fastest-growing economies.
He said: “We continue to act as a long-term investor in Africa and are excited by the exceptional opportunities, this young and dynamic continent has to offer.
“In the next two to three years, we aim to be one of the top 10 classifieds businesses in the world by traffic.”
Sjoerd Nikkelen, General Manager of OLX in Africa, Middle East and Asia was proud of the organisation’s achievements in Africa and the sustainable businesses built in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
Nikkelen said they would always evaluate their portfolio of classifieds businesses to ensure a disciplined approach to how and where they allocate capital and management time.
He said: “With our focus on accelerating the growth of other markets, now is the time to sell our interests in these markets.
“We are pleased that Jiji will continue to provide the exceptional quality of products and services that the customers in these countries have come to know and enjoy from OLX.”
A partner at Digital Spring Ventures, Zhanibek Sydykov, was pleased to assist partners at Jiji with the transaction, adding that the partnership would create a formidable presence in the African e-commerce market
