BuuPass, a travel ticket booking platform has announced that it has acquired its continental competitor QuickBus for an undisclosed amount in cash and stock.
- QuickBus, based in South Africa, also has operations in Nigeria – and the deal allows BuuPass to access these markets, scaling up their revenue targets.
- The deal also involves the integration of the two platforms, with the head of operations at QuickBus joining the BuuPass management to help them navigate their new markets.
- After raising US$ 1.3 million in 2023, BuuPass is accelerating its expansion into other key African markets.
“Quickbus gives BuuPass access to existing integration with major distribution channels in Nigeria and South Africa, such as Vodaphone’s VodaPay app in South Africa,” the startup said in a statement.
QuickBus made its entry into the Kenyan market in 2017, and raised more than US$ 1 million during its seed round three years later. However, BuuPass which was launched a year earlier in 2016, dominated the market – with over 6 million ticket sales worth US$ 100 million.
By combining their strengths, both startups will contribute their unique values in the three major economies they are based in. BuuPass customers will henceforth access international flights to 16 African countries. These include: Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, Nigeria, South Africa, and Ghana.
“Major routes, such as Johannesburg to Cape Town and Durban to Capetown, can be found on the platform today, with more to be added by the end of Q2,” said BuuPass.
BuuPass projects that the acquisition will increase its monthly active users to 650,000. Moreover, QuickBus will onboard its ‘Cash Advance’ strategy which involves paying upfront cash for tickets not sold – enabling a faster acquisition of bus operators.
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