Saloodo! will be the first logistics partner to provide digital road freight solutions on the AfricaPLC e-trade marketplace

• AfricaPLC assists to digitize African SMEs, so they can participate in and support the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)
• The partnership expects to expand across the continent by early 2021

Johannesburg, South Africa – Digital road freight platform Saloodo!, a subsidiary of DHL Global Forwarding, has signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to be the first logistics provider to offer digital road freight solutions on AfricaPLC, an innovative industrial eCommerce Marketplace and FinTech platform, managed by the Africa Investor (Ai). Ai is an institutional investment holding platform that vets and promotes infrastructure, private equity and technology investment opportunities in Africa.

The partnership will address some of the biggest obstacles facing businesses seeking to expand across Africa and global markets, such as access to trade opportunities, sourcing of credible partners, trade finance and reliable logistics solutions. Saloodo!, backed by DHL, the world’s leading logistics player, will inject greater transparency and efficiency by enabling shippers – from small enterprises and start-ups to large multinational groups – to find trusted and reliable freight carriers across Africa.

Tobias Maier, CEO of Saloodo! Middle East and Africa said, “Our partnership with AfricaPLC is an exciting opportunity for Saloodo! to showcase our intuitive digital platform that will offer shippers and transport providers a single, simple, reliable interface to optimise costs, routes, cargo and transit times. Road freight continues to form the backbone of Africa’s logistics industry and I’m convinced that our digital solution will further its progress as the economy recovers.”

According to the World Bank, intra-African trade is one of the best solutions Africa has to eradicating challenges such as poverty and hunger. Intra-African trade not only provides for solutions and opportunities for businesses to grow, but also expands the African economy through diversification and inclusion. Initiatives such as the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA) will speed up economic growth and digitalization can be the impetus to accelerate this development.

“AfricaPLC is committed to supporting the growth of any organisation, particularly SME’s, through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and globalising African e-trade ecosystems,” said Hubert Danso, Chairman, AfricaPLC. “By partnering with Saloodo!, our SME, Corporate, Public Sector and Trade Finance customers can be assured that fulfilment is carried out by a reliable and compliant provider, who can provide full visibility and transparency throughout the shipping process.

This allows our partners to channel resources on further growing their business intra-Africa and to global markets and efficiently managing their budgets and supply chain networks.” In the current Covid-19 pandemic for example, AfricaPLC has been supporting its public and private sector partners to facilitate the trade and transport of critical Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) across the African continent.

“Since our entry into South Africa last year, Saloodo! has successfully expanded to the rest of the continent and is perfectly positioned to further push the envelope of digitalisation to improve the state of logistics services in Africa,” added Maier. “The demand for digital transformation will be driven by emerging markets globally and this crucial partnership with AfricaPLC will allow us to explore solutions that will help boost economic activity on the continent through logistics services and encourage intra-Africa trade.”

Media Contact:
MSL GROUP
Account Director
Lydia Luvhengo
TEL: +2787 255 1396
MOB: +2773 526 1163
Email: Lydia.luvhengo@mslgroup.com

DHL Asia Pacific & EEMEA
Corporate Communications, Sustainability and Brand
Jenny Yeo / Fiona Teo
Tel: +65 6879 8332 / +65 6879 8333
E-mail: apeemeamediarelations@dhl.com

AfricaPLC
Press contact
Wendy Edwards
Tel: +27 11 7832431
E-mail: wedwards@africainvestor.com

About Saloodo!
Saloodo! combines the best of two worlds: The digital freight platform, founded by Deutsche Post DHL Group in 2016, combines the logistics expertise and infrastructure of a global player with the flexibility and digital skills of a start-up. Saloodo! simplifies the day to-day processes of shippers and hauliers with a powerful end-to-end, digital solution for commissioning and handling shipments. This maximizes the transparency and efficiency of the entire transport process.

By offering the free choice of a neutral online marketplace and the security and convenience of a digital freight forwarder, Saloodo! is the answer to the progressive digitization in the highly fragmented transport market.

DHL – The logistics company for the world

DHL is the leading global brand in the logistics industry. Our DHL divisions offer an unrivalled portfolio of logistics services ranging from national and international parcel delivery, e-commerce shipping and fulfilment solutions, international express, road, air and ocean transport to industrial supply chain management. With about 380,000 employees in more than 220 countries and territories worldwide, DHL connects people and businesses securely and reliably, enabling global sustainable trade flows. With specialized solutions for growth markets and industries including technology, life sciences and healthcare, engineering, manufacturing & energy, auto-mobility and retail, DHL is decisively positioned as “The logistics company for the world”.

DHL is part of Deutsche Post DHL Group. The Group generated revenues of more than 63 billion euros in 2019. With sustainable business practices and a commitment to society and the environment, the Group makes a positive contribution to the world. Deutsche Post DHL Group aims to achieve zero-emissions logistics by 2050.

About Africa PLC – Globalizing Africa eTrade
AfricaPLC is an innovative, B2B and B2G multi-sector, industrial eCommerce Marketplace and FinTech platform, focused on improving intra-African trade flows, cross border payments, supply chain transparency, logistics and access to trade intelligence and global markets.

AfricaPLC provides, secure and easy to use transaction platforms and is continuously innovating blockchain and RegTech trade enabling solutions, to assist facilitate our clients and partners digitally originate, transact, track and settle B2B and B2G transactions across the African continent and worldwide.

AfricaPLC is committed to connecting the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) with global markets, by simplifying cross-border trade and procurement transactions for SMEs, large businesses, financial institutions and African governments.
www.africaplc.com