DELIVERY STARTUPS

Noki Noki aims for ‘fast, fast’ expansion in Central African markets

By our African Marketing Confederation News Team | 2024

Brazzaville-based food and grocery delivery startup has secured foreign funding to help it grow in Kinshasa and various countries in the region.

A Congolese tech startup that offers food delivery and supermarket shopping services has raised US$3-million in seed funding to help it scale and expand its operations into other regional African markets.

 

Noki Noki aims to solidify its presence in new markets including the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The name means “fast, fast” in Lingala, a language spoken in the DRC, Republic of Congo and, to a lesser degree, the Central African Republic, Angola and others.

Illustration: Noki Noki

The company operates three business units: Noki Food for food-delivery services, Noki Drive for supermarket shopping services, and Noki Pay, an internal payment system for its delivery services.

 

Launched in 2021 by Jonathan Yanghat in Brazzaville in the Republic of Congo, Noki Noki claims to serve over 10,000 users and to have recorded over $167-million in transactions in 2023.

 

Ambition to revolutionise delivery and e-commerce

 

“We started the journey with a few motorcycles and a clear ambition: to revolutionise delivery and e-commerce on the continent. This funding brings us closer to our goal of becoming a reference in last-mile delivery in Africa,” Yanghat said in a recent statement. 

 

Since starting in in Brazzaville, Noki Noki has expanded to Pointe-Noire in the Republic of Congo, as well as outside the country to Dakar, Abidjan and Libreville. Kinshasa in the DRC is now the next target market.

 

Comments Trendtype, the London-based emerging markets consultancy: “This will bring it into competition with delivery startup Wiikko, which has focused exclusively on the Kinshasa market and has 16,000 active customers and 1,000 merchants.

 

“The key question for Noki Noki is how well it can operate in four or five countries: the direct comparison is Kenyan B2B buying platform Wasoko, which secured a $150-million funding round and expanded across East and West Africa, but has ultimately pulled back from almost all of its expansion markets.”

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    Dr Kin Kariisa

    Group CEO - Next Media

    Dr. Kin Kariisa is an extraordinary force at the helm of Next Media Services, a conglomerate encompassing NBS TV, Nile Post, Sanyuka TV, Next Radio, Salam TV, Next Communication, Next Productions, and an array of other influential enterprises. His dynamic role as Chief Executive Officer exemplifies his unwavering commitment to shaping media, business, and community landscapes.
    With an esteemed academic journey, Dr. Kariisa’s accolades include an Honorary PhD in exemplary community service from the United Graduate College inTexas, an MBA from United States International University in Nairobi, Kenya, a Master’s degree in Computer Engineering from Huazong University in China, and a Bachelor’s degree in Statistics from Makerere University.
    Dr. Kariisa pursued PhD research in Computer Security and Identity Management at Security of Systems Group, Radboud University in Nijmegen, Netherlands. As a dynamic educator, he has shared his expertise as a lecturer of e-Government and Information Security at both Makerere University and Radboud University.

    Dr Kin did his PhD research in Computer Security and Identity Management at Security of Systems Group, Radbond University in Nigmegen, Netherlands. He previously served as a lecturer of e-Government and Information Security at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda and Radbond University in Netherlands.

    Dr Kin did his postgraduate courses in Strategic Business Management, Strategic Leadership Communication and Strategies for Leading Successful Change Initiatives at Harvard University, Boston USA.

    • Other current and previous roles played by Dr Kin Kariisa:
    • Lecturer of e-Government and Information Security to graduate students at Makerere University, Kampala and Radbond University in the Netherlands
    • Director of Eco Bank Uganda Limited, one of the largest banks in Africa
    • Chairman of the National Association of Broadcasters, an umbrella industry association for all Television, Radio and online broadcasters in Uganda.
    • Chairman of Board of Directors of Nile Hotel International, that owns the leading hotel in Uganda, Kampala Serena Hotel.
    • Chairman of Board of Directors of Soliton Telmec Uganda, the leading telecom company in Optic fibre business managing over 80% of optic fibre in Uganda.