Five e-commerce platforms awarded in iHuzo Digital Onboarding Challenge

Access to Finance Rwanda (AFR), in collaboration with the ICT Chamber of the Private Sector Federation, awarded five e-commerce platforms that presented excellent strategies and implementation plans to onboard Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) to their platforms as part of the iHuzo Digital Onboarding Challenge 2021. The awarding ceremony was held at Ubumwe Grande Hotel on Wednesday, December 15, and attended by various officials, e-commerce platforms representatives and iworkers. The iHuzo Digital Onboarding Challenge 2021 started in September 2021. Its main goal was to work with e-commerce platforms to come up with concepts, strategies and implementation plans for onboarding MSEs. The e-commerce platforms were tasked to develop an onboarding plan and register, activate, and retain as many MSEs and iWorkers as possible. Based on the criteria set for the best strategy, the top five winners were awarded grants. A panel of judges comprised of representatives from AFR, ICT Chamber, and Bankable Frontiers Associates, LCC (BFA Global). The judges assessed the quality and feasibility of the digital platforms strategies Murukari Ltds e-commerce platform came in 5th position, receiving a 2,000 USD grant. Iduka Platform Ltd came in fourth, receiving a grant of 2,500 USD. Imigongo Online Market came third and received a grant of $3,500 USD. Olado Business Group Ltd came in second place and was awarded a 5,000 USD grant. Vuba Vuba Africa Ltd was named top e-commerce firm that came up with the most outstanding ideas, strategies, and implementation plans to onboard MSEs to their platforms. This one is already popular in Rwanda, known for delivering food particularly during lockdowns and individual quarantine periods. It has integrated over 800 businesses, the majority of which are SMEs. For the grand prize, Vuba Vuba received a $7,000 grant. Alex Ntare, the CEO of the Rwanda ICT Chamber advised the grant winners that their journey had just begun. “Were not going to stop after we celebrate the grants, you still need to bring on more businesses. Because online marketing is not just a Kigali thing, you still need to develop and grow your services to the rest of the country,” he stated. “However, while we address the issues you still have and provide you more training if necessary,” he said, “we will help and assist you.” Vuba Vuba Africa Ltd and the other four winners will be required to deliver the results indicated in their strategy within six weeks of signing the contract. Winners will be monitored throughout the first six weeks of implementation to ensure that the suggested tasks are carried out as planned. Jean-Bosco Iyacu, the CEO of Access to Finance Rwanda highlighted their will to support e-commerce platforms to address challenges facing their businesses amid the Covid-19 pandemic. “The challenge was a way to fill the void left by the pandemic,” Iyacu said addressing the grant winners, “but digital shopping is already our present as well as our future. “We want more businesses to join, which means more money for you. When customers obtain everything they need on your platforms, they are more likely to return and tell others about it. So, theres still a lot of work to be done, but well get there,” Iyacu assured. Speaking about the most challenging part of their operations, according to officials from Vuba Vuba, they cited convincing firms to interact with their online platform. “Vuba Vuba operates in Kigali, Musanze, and Rubavu at the moment. Getting SMEs, particularly those in remote areas, to understand that its beneficial to enroll their services online with us was the most difficult part. We had to first explain how it works and why its a good idea before asking people to trust us,” said Nicole Umuziranenge, Vuba Vuba Africa Ltds communication marketing manager. It was challenging since digital markets are not yet well-known and understood in Rwandas rural areas, she explained. The five winning e-commerce platforms were selected from 40 that were shortlisted to participate in the final competition. AFR initiated the iHuzo project in 2020 as a COVID-19 response mechanism to accelerate growth of Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) through expanding the e-commerce sector in Rwanda. The project aims to onboard up to 1,500 non-digital local MSE businesses into e-commerce and digital commerce platforms.

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Five e-commerce platforms awarded in iHuzo Digital Onboarding Challenge