Yobante Express
African logistics platform for cross-border parcel delivery.
| Date | Investors | Amount | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | investor | €0.0 | round |
$1.2m | Seed | ||
| Total Funding | 000k | ||
Yobante Express is a logistics technology company that operates an online marketplace connecting local couriers with commerce to optimize domestic, cross-border, and last-mile delivery in emerging markets. Founded in November 2018 by Oumar Basse, a computer science engineer and second-time startup founder, the company digitizes the long-standing informal practice of sending parcels via public transport and travelers. Basse, who was a Ph.D. student in machine learning, was inspired to solve the challenge of expensive and unreliable deliveries in Africa. The name "Yobante" means "to send a parcel leveraging on a traveler."
The company's business model is built on a resilient mesh network of relay points (often existing shops or physical locations) and independent, casual carriers. This asset-light approach allows Yobante Express to offer services that are reportedly up to 40% cheaper and twice as fast as traditional solutions. The platform provides full traceability and customer support, addressing the common issues of lost or damaged merchandise in informal shipping networks. Revenue is generated through a commission-based system, where the company pays 50% of the delivery fee to carriers and 25% to the relay point operators. Its clients include e-commerce companies, retailers, businesses, and individuals.
Headquartered in Dakar, Senegal, Yobante Express has expanded its operations to several other African countries, including South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Botswana, and Zambia. After participating in the Startupbootcamp AfriTech accelerator in 2019, the company secured a $1.2 million seed funding round in September 2021. The investment was led by firms such as Grenfell Holdings, Launch Africa Ventures, and Aguila Investments, and was aimed at financing expansion in South Africa and Nigeria.
Keywords: logistics technology, last-mile delivery, cross-border shipping, African e-commerce, gig economy logistics, parcel delivery, supply chain tech, emerging markets logistics, asset-light logistics, courier marketplace, Oumar Basse, Senegal startup, freight platform, mobile logistics, digital freight, Africa trade, supply chain management, package tracking, relay network