Q3. What challenges are you currently facing in promoting your business?

We’ve faced numerous challenges, which have made building this business a long journey. The first major hurdle was product education. When I started in Zambia, no one else was doing what we envisioned. A significant amount of our time was spent educating restaurants, retailers, drivers, and customers on why this idea would work. Digital services are still relatively new in Africa, and people are accustomed to brick-and-mortar establishments. Changing this mindset has been a cultural challenge.

Secondly, we have built this business largely on our own. Despite becoming one of the biggest brands, no government entity has approached us to help scale our efforts. This lack of support and favorable regulations for startups, like a startup act, has made it difficult to progress from one stage to the next. It's demotivating when the environment doesn’t support your growth.

Lastly, funding remains a significant issue. Africa is often overlooked as an investment opportunity, so we must work much harder to prove our worth. For instance, the model we’re implementing works well abroad and attracts substantial investment, but here, we face immense scrutiny and a high level of due diligence before investors show interest. This trust issue makes it challenging to gain the necessary support to build and grow.

These challenges—product education, lack of government support, and funding—are the biggest obstacles we’ve faced. If conditions were more favorable, we could have built another Amazon by now. I started working on AfriDelivery nine years ago, and in a different environment, we could have raised funds within the first few years and been in a much different position today. But everything has its own timing.

Q4. What has been the support you have garnered so far from the ecosystem and what do you think is lacking?

I have to give credit to the incubators, specifically BongoHive. Their professionalism is absolutely outstanding. What I mean by that is, your merit is based on the product you have or what you've accomplished, not who you are. During this process, we were among many companies and ranked in the bottom 10. Despite this, the professionalism was so evident that there was no favoritism. Everyone left feeling they had a fair chance to win. When I was picked, I was surprised because there were so many outstanding companies.

As the incubators have grown, they have grown with us. Although I was never incubated, I participated in a program through them and gained invaluable knowledge and peace of mind. Knowing that an ecosystem of entrepreneurs exists, all facing similar challenges, we can now work together. One of my biggest partners came from that program, and both of us have benefitted greatly.

Unfortunately, I have not received any support from the government. There's still work to be done, and I would like to challenge them to step up. It's never too late. New startups shouldn't have to face the same pressures we did. The government can use us to create methodologies and regulations that are pro-startup, and we'd be more than happy to contribute.

I have to give a lot of credit to the incubators, both big and small. Even if they don't provide financial support, they offer training and expose us to opportunities. Sometimes, that's all we need.

Q5. What potential does your company have? How does it differ from other similar startups that are your competitors?

What sets us apart is our mastery over the entire value chain. We’re not just a delivery service or an online platform; we manage the whole process. For example, if you're a farmer, you only need to focus on farming. We handle everything from picking up and selling your product to delivering it, collecting payment, and even advertising. We can also manage international shipping and find partners for sales in other countries.

Our goal is to establish a comprehensive network across Africa within the next five years. We believe every African country has storage space, but finding it can be challenging. We aim to create a platform that showcases and vets all available spaces, making it easy for users to find trusted options.

We envision our business as an enabler, building the necessary infrastructure that will support numerous smaller businesses and startups. Our aim is to become a key enabler in Africa's goods distribution network. We’ve integrated our entire value chain with a single backend system, positioning us well to expand. By leveraging our integrated infrastructure, we aim to become a cornerstone of African distribution, fostering a thriving ecosystem of businesses

In the next five years, I foresee us establishing a significant presence in 70-80% of Africa

Q6. How are AfriOnline’s activities linked to the SDGs?

First and foremost, SDG 8 - job creation is our most significant focus, which directly improves the quality of life and contributes to the economy. We have been able to create jobs for individuals who may not have the qualifications for certain positions. For example, we hire drivers, merchandisers, and salespeople, among others.

Specifically, on the driver side, we've seen remarkable transformations. I recall some drivers who started with just a piece of land. As we built relationships, we partnered with financial institutions to help them get loans to build houses. Within four or five years, some drivers moved from rental spaces to owning their homes, showcasing a complete transformation in their lives. This purpose-driven aspect of our work is a significant inspiration for me personally.

In relation to the SDGs, job creation is paramount. We provide decent jobs where employees earn a minimum of $200 a month, which is fair in our country compared to the general job market. This has been our most impactful contribution