Getting quality replacement for broken car parts could be a hassle in Nigeria. A major reason for this is that the market is overrun with knock-offs, the supposed dealers of “not-Chinese” parts aren’t to be trusted either, and so also is your auto-repair guy who is the only other person who understands the market.
Everyone out there, that is not you, is trying to rip you off.
CarPartsNigeria promises to have your back in this industry where to trust is at your own risk. The startup is an online marketplace for auto-parts and connects verified autopart vendors with customers looking to buy used or new parts for their vehicles.
The startup pitched at this year’s DEMO Africa, where the founders said the product was developed “to centralize parts inventory across the country”.
“The platform allows consumers to save time and money. We estimate that shopping on CarPartsNigeria should save an average of four hours on a day of part search per person,” co-founder, Bayo Balogun, said at the pitch.
It went on to win a spot on the DEMO Silicon Valley along with four other startups at the event.
The founders, Jide Shobande and Bayo Balogun both have more than two decades of experience in previous fields (Accounting and IT Security) and have funded the company with $230,000 of their own money.
The platform incorporates other services including real-time cars auction, a listing of auto repairers, and service artisans (panel beaters, auto electricians, tow trucks etc.).
A service much similar to this has been around for a while. Autobox, which is currently at the CcHub’s incubation programme, and was a listing service for car part dealers till it pivoted earlier this year. Now it’s a marketplace for auto repair workers and service artisans.
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