Almost seven years after its launch in June 2012, one of Nigeria's pioneering online grocery startups Gloo.ng just announced they will be shutting down ecommerce operations in February.
The information was sent out on Twitter from @docolumide, the official twitter handle of Olumide Olusanya, founder and CEO of the company, or 'Chief Glootian' as he likes to be called.
Fellows, listen up! We’ve BIG news coming out of @Gloo_ng next month! We’ll be shutting down our ecommerce business & will be launching a new business we’ve built past 18months in stealth!💪🙌🏻
Ahead of that time, we’ll be selling off our inventory @ 50% discount! Stay tuned! https://t.co/NRtGCgdJqU
— D.O (@davidicdoc) January 14, 2019
"Fellows, listen up! We’ve BIG news coming out of @Gloo_ng next month! We’ll be shutting down our ecommerce business & will be launching a new business we’ve built past 18months in stealth!💪🙌🏻 Ahead of that time, we’ll be selling off our inventory @ 50% discount! Stay tuned!, " the tweet read.
In the thread that followed, Olumide Olusanya, the medical doctor turned tech entrepreneur, did not offer any reasons for the change.
Suggested Read: Meet Olumide Olusanya, a former medical doctor who quit the practice to sell groceries online
He however quoted an earlier tweet speaking about change and dismissed ecommerce in Africa in very strong words.
In an earlier interview with Techpoint, Olumide said the goal for Gloo was to be the biggest supermarket in Nigeria.
"Our vision is very clear – to become Nigeria’s biggest supermarket. Don’t mix it up. We are already Nigeria’s biggest online supermarket. The race we are running is to be as big as Shoprite and Park n Shop," he said.
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With the scrapping of eCommerce and announcement of a new business, it seems this goal post for Gloo will change.
UPDATE: “There’s no strong need for eCommerce in Sub-Saharan Africa” — Gloo founder, Olumide Olusanya.
