Kenya-based Sendy invests in Kamtar to accelerate pan-African expansion plans

Sendy, a Kenyan logistics company, has finalised a strategic equity investment in Kamtar, an Ivory Coast-based competitor, to help the latter’s development aspirations in West Africa.

Sendy, which was founded in 2015, is a marketplace for last-mile package delivery and logistics services, allowing consumers to send goods and documents using a smartphone app that links them with motorcycle riders, van and pickup truck drivers.

The business is presently operational in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, but it stated last year that it wanted to expand worldwide after receiving a US$20 million investment round. Toyota Tsusho Corporation was one of the investors in that round, and Sendy has now acquired a major share in Kamtar with the help of Mobility 54 Investment, Toyota Tsusho Corporation, and CFAO’s venture capital arm.

Kamtar is a digital logistics firm with 5,000 drivers in Ivory Coast and Senegal that links SMEs and large enterprises with truckers, allowing for more efficient delivery operations and cost savings by removing intermediaries. It’s also working on a set of value-added services to assist its drivers to save money on a variety of services related to their business, including petrol, insurance, replacement parts, and finance.

Sendy will be able to expedite its next phase of company growth by establishing operations in West Africa and expanding its reach beyond its present activities in Eastern Africa, thanks to the strategic investment. Sendy is focusing its cross-continent development on targeted greenfield and mergers & acquisitions investments with supply chain and logistics partners.

Sendy will strengthen Kamtar’s capabilities in Ivory Coast and Senegal, as well as extend to additional French-speaking West African nations by the end of 2022, using its technology, experience, and a larger variety of services.

“This strategic investment will help us achieve Sendy’s long-term goal of expanding our West African presence and supporting our current customers looking to expand or enter the West African market. We share a joint vision with Kamtar to make it easier to trade across Africa and we’re looking forward to the opportunity to collaborate with Kamtar on product development and technology solutions for customers across the region,” said Mesh Alloys, Sendy’s founder and chief executive officer (CEO).

Saviu Ventures, an Africa-focused investor concentrating on early-stage businesses in Francophone Africa, owns Kamtar.

“We are excited to partner with Sendy and look forward to the synergies that will be established between Kamtar’s expertise in Francophone Africa and Sendy’s African network,” said Arthur Thuet, Saviu Ventures managing partner and Kamtar’s president.

“Our goal is to combine the best of both companies to become the number one freight and logistics provider in the Francophone region.”