SENEGAL – Senegalese delivery startup Yobante Express has expanded its operations outside its home country and is now active five African markets.

Founded in November 2018, Yobante Express is an online marketplace that connects local couriers with local commerce to optimise domestic, cross-border and last mile delivery.

Its web and mobile platform employ gig economy, independent and casual couriers to deliver packages from point to point until the last mile.

Yobante Express says that its logistics solution is twice as fast and 40 per cent more affordably than existing solutions.

“Yobante Express’ revenue sharing model is empowering gig workers and communities. On each delivery, we are paying 50 per cent commission to independent and casual carriers and another 25 per cent to relay points.”

Oumar Basse- CEO Yobante Express

Yobante’s African expansion was launched last year when it started operations in South Africa, Africa’s second largest economy.

The move to South Africa was made possible after the startup participated in a Startupbootcamp AfriTech accelerator programme in Cape Town last year.

The expansion to South Africa marked the first step on what would might be a pan-African journey for the startup which has since expanded into four other markets in the continent.

Co-founder and chief executive officer (CEO) Oumar Basse revealed that the startup now delivers to Botswana and Zimbabwe from its base in South Africa.

Yobante Express also has an active presence in Nigeria and Ghana, two of the largest economies in West Africa.

In terms of trade volumes, Yobante CEO Oumar Basse explained that the startup was now delivering an average of 15,000 parcels per month and was currently generating US$90,000 average monthly revenue.

“In just 18 months of operations, we have onboarded 307 independent and casual carriers, 611 relay points, and we’re delivering for more than 150 businesses,” Oumar Basse said.

Yobante Express delivery model also allows anyone travelling in the same general direction as the parcel and anyone with a shop or physical location to make money as part of its network.

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