Nigerian startup NGspareparts.com has launched, aiming to disrupt the traditional methods of purchasing spare parts of vehicles in the country.
NGspareparts.com went live at the start of this month, and is an online marketplace that connects verified spare parts sellers with car owners and mechanics.
Currently in beta, the startup has a core focus on car engines, transmissions and parts that are fitted onto engines, such as alternators, AC compressors, and power steering pumps.
Founder Chisom Okereke told Disrupt Africa NGspareparts.com was looking to claim a sizeable part of Nigeria’s US$3 billion per year auto spare parts market by tackling challenges in purchasing spare parts, such as difficulties in finding an exact part and finding genuine sellers.
“In Nigeria, people have a hard time finding spare parts with the right specifications. Also, car owners are at the mercy of their mechanics, from whom they get to know how much their spare parts costs,” he said.
”People travel to mega cities like Lagos because it is the only place they know they can find their desired spare parts.”
Though still in beta and without many registered users, NGspareparts.com receives an average of 75 requests weekly, and has stock from about 20 sellers and a network that gives it access to over 2,000 offline.
The startup is currently self-funded, and has enough cash behind it to run a freemium plan for more than two years.
