Kenyan mobility startup BuuPass has acquired QuickBus in a bid to scale in Nigeria and South Africa.
Founded in 2016, BuuPass is a B2B2C mobility marketplace that enables users to search, compare, and book travel tickets via web, app, or USSD.
So far, the startup has sold over six million travel tickets and generated over US$100 million in total value of goods sold, while it has also taken part in the Google for Startups Accelerator Africa and been backed by the Google for Startups Black Founders Fund.
QuickBus, meanwhile, was launched in 2019, and aggregates long distance bus tickets in a marketplace, making it easier for users to compare prices and book journeys, and helping bus companies run their businesses more efficiently.
It has now been acquired by BuuPass in a move that will boost BuuPass’ strategic expansion into South Africa and Nigeria, where it is set to add over 5,000 new routes to its platform. BuuPass will also onboard over 100 bus operators and several high-profile online distribution partnerships, including FNB, Vodacom, and MTN.
“We are excited to expand our footprint in Africa as we actively look for more opportunities to bring our platform to new African markets. BuuPass aims to create a comprehensive, continent-wide network of interconnected transport options for seamless global and continental travel, and this acquisition is a significant milestone toward that goal,” said BuuPass co-founder Sonia Kabra.
