Global Shop Group has acquired ANKA, the pan-African SaaS and commerce infrastructure company that’s helped thousands of African entrepreneurs reach international markets.
The details:
- Founded in 2016 by Moulaye Tabouré, Abdoul Kadry Diallo, and Luc Perussault-Diallo, ANKA (formerly Afrikrea) began as a fashion marketplace before evolving into a full-stack commerce platform offering marketplace, payments, and logistics tools.
- The company raised about $13.5 million, processed $60 million in transaction volume, and supported merchants in 47 African countries with customers across 170 countries.
- The deal, for an undisclosed amount, involves Global Shop acquiring select ANKA assets to accelerate its multi-brand retail ecosystem.
What they’re saying:
“At ANKA, we’ve spent years building the infrastructure that makes global African trade possible. But to truly scale our creators’ businesses, we needed to go beyond technology,” said co-founder Moulaye Tabouré.
“Global Shop’s strategy and experience are exactly what was missing to take ANKA to the next level.”
Why it matters:
ANKA has played a central role in Africa’s creative economy, helping entrepreneurs sell globally. In one BBC feature, Nigerian designer Shakirat Arigbabu of Keerah’s Fashion Cave used ANKA to sell over $500,000 worth of prom dresses to U.S. customers while employing 200 people in Nigeria.
The new leadership
Global Shop Group is led by Matilda Ceesay, a veteran of Nike, American Eagle, Ralph Lauren, and BCG. Her team brings deep expertise in fashion and retail strategy — positioning ANKA’s infrastructure for global scale.
What’s next
ANKA will continue operating autonomously, preserving its brand, culture, and customer base. However, its co-founders will transition out as part of the acquisition.
Source: ANKA (Medium)
Learn more about other African tech startups on Labari Insights, our data repository for tech in Africa: insights.techlabari.com
