Classified group, ROAM to connect Africans to opportunities

Classified group, Ringier Africa and One Africa Media (ROAM) has been launched in Nigeria, with the aim to connect more Africans to opportunity across the continent. It is Africa’s largest classified group.

ROAM operates the various leading classifieds platforms in nine countries namely, Senegal, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Southern Africa, Zimbabwe, Mauritius, as its portfolio comprises both vertical classifieds in cars, jobs and real estate as well as general classifieds where a large variety of products can be sold and bought by professionals and individuals alike. It combines One Africa Media’s vertical classifieds businesses Jobberman, BrighterMonday, Cheki, BuyRentKenya and Private Property Nigeria with Ringier-Africa’s general classifieds Expat-Dakar, ZoomTanzania, PigiaMe and Qefira and property portal MaMaison, as new partners such as Mediatiz in Mauritius and Classifieds.co.zw and Property.co.zw are intended to join the group.

According to the Head of Verticals, Jobs, ROAM, Opeyemi Awoyemi, the continent’s leading online classifieds and integrated media groups which resulted from the merger of Ringier Africa AG’s Classifieds and One Africa Media, as the launch will activate business synergies across the continent that will allow both buyers and sellers to benefit from an unprecedented ecosystem and technology platform.

“We are privileged to contribute to the positive disruption that digital solutions bring to our African markets. Many markets are still highly non-transparent, informal and fragmented. Buyers are typically overcharged due to asymmetrical information, and jobseekers defrauded by fake companies.“

Our goal is to empower Africans through transparency, and transform markets through technology. We celebrate this merger as a major milestone, from which not only ROAM but also our users and Small-Medium-sized-entities (SMEs) will profit significantly, for example by extended reach or accessing a new range of products,” she said.

Speaking at the launch party in Nigeria, the Head of Verticals, Jobs, ROAM, Opeyemi Awoyemi said the innovation which is aimed at wining Africa will connect the people to opportunities across the continent at their door step. He said the group is particular about ensuring that Africans get connected to the right source.

The Chief Executive Office, Jobberman Nigeria, Adewunmi Ayodeji said, Africans can get Job across the continent easily, as it aims to curb unemployment, making it easier for graduates to get job in both the private and public sector.

“We are already having a very strong name in the market and some level of our penetration in respect to our separate brands. In our recruitment effort, either it is graduate, midlevel or senior level jobs, we have developed some relationship with government agencies,” he said.

Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer, Cheki Nigeria, Gbenga Dara, said the groups major distinguishing factor in the market is based on quality rather than quantity as it maintains good relationship between their dealers and buyers to enable them have quality experience, just as it has dealers in spare parts to boost quality car products, unlike the substandard ones sold in the market.