The African tech ecosystem is growing by solving different market frictions. Leading the pack is fintech, and then there is edtech, and there is logistics that gradually attracts millions of dollars in investments by using technology to provide solutions to logistics bottlenecks.

Naqla, an Egyptian logistics platform, announced that it has raised $10.5 million in a Series A funding round led by investors El Sewedy Capital Holding (SCH), Hassan Allam Holding (HAH), and the Sallam Family.

The startup said the new funding is to invest further in technology and digitization.

Founded in 2017 by Sherif Taher and Samer Sallam, Naqla provides a trucking technology platform and marketplace that connects truck owners with cargo companies. It is currently working with more than 400 shippers and 10,500 drivers across Egypt, and now active in 35+ active zones. Over the years, Naqla has overseen the movement and delivery of over 4.6 million tonnes of cargo.

Naqla’s business model addresses the historically underserved road freight sector in Egypt, which has grown in importance since the start of Covid-related supply-side constraints.

Businesses are continuously looking for further efficiencies in inland transport from Egypt’s major entry and exit ports to maintain the flow of goods within their supply chains. The rapid growth of Egypt’s construction and consumer goods industry has meant demand for trucking continues to rise, with employees in the sector now making up 2% of the labour force, or 3-4% of GDP – $13bn in Egypt and $45bn across the MENA region. Many of the 1.5 million trucks in Egypt are owned by individual drivers, whom Naqla aims to onboard onto its Carrier ecosystem, consisting of road assistance, finance, insurance, health care and maintenance.

Naqla’s core mission is to modernize and expand Egypt’s supply chain through technology by automating orders between shippers and drivers through its two main apps.

Sherif Taher, Co-Founder and CEO of Naqla, said it has become critical now to use technology to solve Egypt’s logistics friction.

“We are now perfectly positioned to grow our digital logistics offering and market presence, bringing a much-needed technology infrastructure to the badly served Egyptian logistics and trucking industry, at a critical time in the country’s economic growth. We thank our investors for their part on the Naqla journey – this investment will enable rapid acceleration of our business and our planned vertical expansion into our new segments,” he said.

The funding has added to the growing number of investments going to logistics companies across Africa. In the first quarter of this year, Senegal-based logistics and delivery company, PAPS raised a $4.5 million; Sote, a Kenyan logistics startup, raised a $4 million seed extension round in January while Kenya-based Trucking Startup Amitruck raised $4m seed funding in February 2022.

Speaking on the investment, Kadous, Board Member at El Sewedy Capital, said: “We’re thrilled to join Naqla on their journey towards a destination of completely changing the infrastructure of logistics in the region. We have tremendous expertise in the infrastructure space, and this investment will increase the synergies between our different portfolio companies. We love the leadership team at Naqla and are not just betting on the market size, but on their grit and vision.”

Today, 8th March, the world celebrates International Women’s Day. The day is celebrated every year to mark and celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women and raise awareness about women’s equality, accelerate gender parity.

The day, which was endorsed by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), is a time to reflect on progress made, to call for change and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women who have played an extraordinary role in the history of their countries and communities as well as to conscientize others to participate actively in every lucrative societal activity within their reach.

It was first celebrated in 1911, but recognized by the United Nations (UN) in 1975. In 1977, the UNGA invited Member States to proclaim March 8 as the UN Day for women’s rights and world peace. This year’s theme is “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow”.

It’s noteworthy that no society in existence can be said to be complete if a woman is yet to be found in it, regardless of its nature or size. We can testify to this assertion by considering how a woman came into the world.

Having created man, God thought it wise to form a woman from the rib of a man. This was so, because the Creator realized what benefit a woman would be to a man in any society or arena he might find himself.

For instance, a family, which remains the smallest society on earth, can never strive if a woman is missing. Realistically, a family cannot be formed in the first place if a woman is nowhere to be found. Also, having formed a family with the help of a woman, if she eventually dies, the affected family would live to suffer the vacuum created by her eternal demise.

This implies that psychologically, no widower can boast of being a happy man, especially in a situation where his late wife had children. Sometimes, even when the man had eventually settled down with another woman, he shall remain in a seeming endless emotional trauma provided the late wife left some indelible footprints behind.

The womenfolk has, ab initio, been considered to constitute the integral part of the wider society. It is obvious that a social gathering or union cannot achieve an effective and efficient goal if the women are not carried along.

It might sound a bit controversial or vague but the truth remains that nature had ordained a woman to be the most attractive being in any society she happens to be part of. This is why a woman’s presence appears to possess a natural tendency of arresting the heart of a man irrespective of what the man in question is made of.

The political terrain is not left out. Any man occupying a political position would boldly testify to the fact that his beloved wife is the reason he is striving assiduously and successfully. It suffices to say that a woman is indeed in charge of any leadership position even when her impact is ostensibly invisible.

The advisory role, both morally and otherwise, a woman plays in the life of a political office holder who happens to be her spouse supersedes whatever advice or counsel he receives from his employees/appointees, friends, or well-wishers, as might be the case.

Considering the religious institution, a church for example, which remains one of the oldest societies across the globe, it’s needless to reiterate that its sustainability from the outset has been possible owing to the effort of the womenfolk who usually constitute the majority figure therein.

A woman has been proven beyond doubts to be more religious than a man. This is the reason she remains the engine room towards the uplift of the children’s spiritual lives. A person or family whose spiritual life is porous is apparently living like a tree without a tap root, this could be blown away by the wind at any time.

Indeed, the role of a woman both in her immediate and wider society cannot be overemphasized. From the above instances, it can be deduced that without a woman, the children cannot be properly raised, be it morally, academically, and religiously, among others. Similarly, without a woman, a man’s social, political as well as emotional life shall remain incomplete for eternity.

However, it’s worth noting that is only a virtuous woman that can impact positively on her family or any society she belongs to. Needless to say; it takes a virtuous woman or one with an acceptable lifestyle to bring the desired change in any society.

A virtuous woman, in a nutshell, is that woman who is morally correct; that woman who possesses an acceptable lifestyle; that woman whose interior idiosyncrasies are welcoming or near-perfect.

To say the least, a woman’s lifestyle could be said to be acceptable if she is responsible and responsive; above all, god-fearing. This implies that women are expected to distinguish themselves wherever they find themselves with a view to contributing effectively in nation-building.

Hence, as the global community celebrates the International Women’s Day, we are required at all times to contribute our individual or collective efforts toward the promotion of the womenfolk in our respective communities or societies, as well as preach against any form of violence against them.

Most importantly, the parents or guardians ought to note that a well-trained girl-child has the tendency of attracting the entire world to her person.