Africa 118 is a company founded in 2010 with the mission to help African startups and Small & Medium Enterprises(SMEs) get discovered online.
For the past years, Africa 118 has been doing that in three ways: developing accurate business directories; providing SMEs with digital marketing services, and creating a complete, accurate, flexible database.
The problem Africa 118 has set out to tackle through this specific Innovative fund is the lack of digital presence that 90% of Ethiopian SMEs have.
This digital presence gap is caused due to a lack of simple, affordable, and effective solutions to help them build an online presence.
The lack of digital skills to build and maintain a digital presence is also believed to be another reason for this problem.
How it Works
Directories
Infomoby
Infomoby aims to address the wide information gap that exists between businesses and consumers.
For example, in a survey done by the firm, over 80% of urban mobile users in Nairobi, Kampala, and Addis Ababa have difficulty finding accurate information relating to local businesses.
This is despite a rising need for accurate business location and contact information with over 45% of East Africans now searching for products and services online before actually visiting local businesses.
It makes it easier for consumers to find the local services they are looking for in Kenya and we have built a directory that is complete and easy to use.
Every day, the Infomoby team contacts hundreds of businesses and local services to collect, correct, or enhance their information in their database.
Their field agents have covered thousands of kilometers in Africa meeting with business owners and collecting the complete information available.
They are supported by their professional call center team which works throughout the year diligently to confirm the accuracy of the information we collect.
Every business on Infomoby has successfully been contacted by the InfoMoby team and confirmed that their contact information in our directory was correct at the time of the call.
This means you will waste less time trying to get through to the organizations you are trying to reach.
By searching on Infomoby, you are searching the complete local directory in that country.
Business owners also have the opportunity to take advantage of the free platform Infomoby provides to reach more people actively looking for their type of services.
Business listings are free, although there are advertising options on Infomoby that enable businesses to get enhanced profiles, sponsored articles, and banners at the right places to reach more people, more effectively.
Digital Marketing
Africa 118, through Infomoby Business East Africa’s first digital business agency that provides complete digital solutions to SMEs in Kenya, Uganda, and Ethiopia.
Building onto their data and directory services, they started providing simple, yet world-class websites for SMEs who wouldn’t otherwise afford such websites.
To provide a fully integrated service, they then started providing specialized digital marketing services.
Their driving force is the challenge to ensure their clients have the most effective exposure online, in this digital age.
They merge their clients’ user needs and business goals to achieve transformational digital business outcomes.
Imagine having a website that is beautifully designed, and easy to use and your customers love it. Imagine receiving calls and emails every day from potential customers who found you through targeted online marketing. This is what they do.
Digital Starter Pack
Building business online and mobile presence with the perfect solution for Small and Medium Enterprises.
Booster Pack
Effective Digital Marketing Services to boost sales and help our clients achieve success in marketing online.
Social Media
Professional management of social media to engage business customers and build vibrant brands.
Data Services
With years of experience, Africa 118 draws on deep industry knowledge and cutting-edge expertise to create the most comprehensive, compelling combination of data and analysis across industries.
They combine an automated data collection process with manual verification and collection by field and call center teams trained in the specific nuances of business data to ensure the unparalleled quality of information.
Africa 118 provides the deepest coverage in the industry. Their database contains data for over 800,000 businesses from all over Africa, with rooftop Lat/Long information, exact addressing, phone, categories, hours, brands, services, chain information, and more.
This is why they power some of the most remarkable directories and maps such as Google Maps, Here Maps, Tom Tom, Safaricom 191, Airtel 192 (Kenya), and Airtel 193 (Uganda).
Most Complete
They have the most comprehensive, detailed, and up-to-date business, sector, and industry data covering over 800,000 businesses in Africa.
Most Accurate
They clean and validate their data in real-time through their dedicated field and call center teams to guarantee accuracy.
Most Flexible
They provide data customized to the needs of the client, in any format, and covering any location in Africa as may be needed.
Founders
Ezana Raswork
Ezana Raswork is the Founder and CEO of Taskmoby.
Ezana Raswork is a Senior Executive with over 20 years of General Management, Voice Search, Directory, Mobile, Marketing, and Emerging market expertise.
Before founding Africa 118, Ezana was a Senior Vice President at Canwest Publishing, Canada’s largest publisher.
He had General Management responsibility for the Eastern Canadian business unit which generated $300M in sales and had over 1000 employees. Before joining Canwest, Ezana was the Vice President of Business Development at Yellow Pages Group, Canada’s dominant Yellow Pages company.
There he led the Company’s entry into new vertical segments and Enhanced Directory Services in partnership with a major Telecommunications operator.
Ezana has an extensive marketing background that he gained from senior marketing roles at Microcell Telecommunications (Canadian GSM mobile operator) and over his 11 years at Procter and Gamble.
He attended Stanford University in 1984.
Investors & Funding Rounds
GSMA Innovation Fund
GSMA Innovation Fund for Mobile Internet Adoption and Digital Inclusion is a fund that aims to increase mobile internet adoption and usage for the underserved. The fund was launched in April 2020.
In April 2021, GSMA chose to fund five African companies out of 589 applications from 44 countries.
Africa 118 from Ethiopia has become one of the grantees of this award with its digital starter pack solution for SMEs.
Upon receiving the grant Africa 118 plans to help Ethiopian SMEs build a strong digital presence with a 50% price discount from alternative solutions.
The program will offer SMEs a digital starter pack that will provide them with a digital presence on Google and Facebook, eCommerce and Mobile payment integration, and in-person training.
Priced at $100 per year and with the availability of a monthly payment plan, Africa 118 aspires to reach 10,000 SMEs.
TaskMoby, a project under Africa118 has also been a grantee for the GSMA award back in 2019 on a different fund category- GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund.
Taskmoby is a digital marketplace in Ethiopia that connects customers with home service providers, leveraging a mobile application, SMS/USSD solutions, and a dedicated call center.
Currently, Africa 118 is also working on the Norad SMEs Digital Launchpad project which is a 3-year project that works to empower women in business with digital skills and tools.
Main Competitors
Crowd Mobile: It is a global mobile entertainment and digital media company that produces engaging mobile products and digital marketing.
Axios Mobile Assets: This is a logistics enabler featuring next-generation bio-based pallet technology.
UberMedia: It is one of the most trusted mobile insights platforms that power advertising, location measurement, and business intelligence.
Related:
MFS Africa: Story, Founders, Investors & Funding Rounds