DHL and MallforAfrica join forces to boost African fashion internationally

DHL, the international courier and express mail company, has partnered up with African e-commerce giant MallforAfrica to help online retailers bring more African products to the international market. Earlier this week, the two companies launched MarketPlaceAfrica.com, an e-commerce site where African artisans can sell products to buyers from any of the 220 countries where DHL operates. The website focuses on clothing, bags, jewelry, personal care, and home décor.

”MarketPlaceAfrica.com was created to remove the barriers to buying directly from craftspeople and small enterprises throughout Africa”, reads MarketPlaceAfrica’s website. ”When you shop and make a purchase on MarketPlaceAFRICA.com, you are engaging directly with a small or medium size business. These are the enterprises that are building the economies of African countries”.

“We are thrilled to be a part of this innovative e-commerce solution for African artisans. DHL is a facilitator of global trade and if we can improve connectivity and accessibility to global markets for local business, this will go a long way in helping small businesses grow”, said Hennie Heymans, CEO for DHL Express Sub Saharan Africa, as cited by Business Week.

Founded in 2011 in Lagos, Nigeria, MallforAfrica is a platform through which Africans can purchase more than 8.5 billion items from international online retailers. Previously, most African consumers could not purchase directly from foreign webshops. Backed by UK private equity firm Helios Investment Partners, MallforAfrica is a subsidiary of TechMindSoft, LLC.

Established in 1969 in the United States, DHL is the world’s leading postal and logistics company. It operates in the African continent since 1978.

Photo: MarketPlaceAfrica website capture