MTN Group, Africa’s largest mobile network operator, today announces signing a strategic partnership agreement with Dooka, one of Africa’s first business-to-business (B2B) marketplaces, to automate the sourcing process of MTN’s long tail of indirect local spending.
The partnership promises to change how companies buy things on the continent, making it easier for companies all over Africa to buy things on consumer marketplaces.
According to a company statement, Dooka will help MTN’s local supplier development efforts by giving local suppliers the chance to sell to other customers on the platform “while providing MTN and other businesses with transparency in pricing and greater efficiencies.”
Dirk Karl, MTN Group Executive: Global Sourcing and Supply Chain, said, “Our new relationship with Dooka is hugely exciting and brings efficiencies to every level of the supply chain.” It stands to transform the way businesses operate across Africa. It fits with our strategic priority to create shared value, a key component of which is greater localisation.” of
Dooka’s B2B marketplace opens a world of opportunities for local suppliers, who had previously been locked out of supplying larger businesses due to the challenges of digital connections and high entry barriers. This marketplace enables them to sell more goods and services to MTN and other leading African multinationals.
Dooka CEO Toby Sparrow described the partnership as a chance to revolutionise the supply chain: “Together with MTN, we can demonstrate that the right tools enable corporations to create jobs and support development and growth through good procurement.” Dooka represents a new way to connect buyers and sellers across every industry. We are levelling the playing field so businesses large and small across Africa can transact as easily as if they were shopping at home and using the latest digital technologies. ”
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Dooka CEO Toby Sparrow described the partnership as a chance to revolutionise the supply chain: “Together with MTN, we can demonstrate that the right tools enable corporations to create jobs and support development and growth through good procurement.” Dooka represents a new way to connect buyers and sellers across every industry. We are levelling the playing field so businesses large and small across Africa can transact as easily as if they were shopping at home and using the latest digital technologies. ”
The partnership is revenue-sharing, which requires no capex commitment nor licence cost for its use by MTN, Dooka’s anchor client.
Together with MTN, we can demonstrate that the right tools enable corporations to create jobs and support development and growth through good procurement. “Dooka represents a new way to connect buyers and sellers across every industry,” says Dooka CEO Toby Sparrow.
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This partnership represents a paradigm shift in corporate procurement by bringing the ease of consumer marketplace buying to corporations across Africa. This innovation will lead to equitable access, digital transparency and greater efficiency for MTN’s suppliers.
According to the announcement, there will also be no service fees for MTN suppliers until at least January 2024.
Last week, two companies announced the acquisition in B2B payments. FLEETCOR acquires Plugsurfing to facilitate payment for electric vehicle (EV) charging in Europe, while TimePayment buys QuickSpark to combine the two companies’ tools for the vendor finance industry. Plus, Mesh Payments raises $60 million, while CashFlo raises $8.7 million.
Business payments company FLEETCOR Technologies bought Plugsurfing, an EV software and network provider. Plugsurfing has made a proprietary EV charging network with more than 300,000 charge points, over 80% of all charge points in the region. Its app provides access to comprehensive tariff information, facilitating payment for EV charging.
TimePayment, a Boston FinTech company that provides sales financing for speciality equipment sellers, has acquired eCommerce-focused financing firm QuickSpark Financial. TimePayment President and CEO Jay Haverty said: “Together we will take the best of both company’s [eCommerce] and internal workflow tools to deliver superior technology and sales automation for the vendor finance industry.”
About the MTN Group
Launched in 1994, the MTN Group is a leading emerging market operator with a clear vision to lead the delivery of a bold new digital world to our customers. We are inspired by our belief that everyone deserves the benefits of modern connected life. The MTN Group is listed on the JSE Securities Exchange in South Africa under the share code ‘MTN’. Our strategy is Ambition 2025: Leading digital solutions for Africa’s progress.
About Dooka
Dooka is a proudly African business built on and supported by the Tradeshift cloud-based business commerce platform. It transforms how B2B buyers and sellers connect, transact and trade across a single, open network. The world’s largest organisations and their suppliers do business on Tradeshift, making it a platform of choice for digital procurement.
With over 1.5 million user connections to its platform and more than $1 trillion in B2B transactions processed since its inception, Tradeshift is its most dynamic trade network. Dooka has received funding from Nicky and Jonathan Oppenheimer and is part of their commitment to making a real, lasting and permanent contribution to Africa and beyond.