Jiji, the Lagos headquartered online classifieds marketplace, has acquired Bikroy, Bangladesh’s largest online classifieds platform, marking its first major acquisition outside Africa. The deal comes just thirteen months after Jiji entered the South Asian market as a direct competitor to Bikroy, expanding its operations beyond the African continent for the first time.
Chief Executive Officer of Jiji, Anton Volianskyi, declined to disclose the financial details of the acquisition but stated that the company financed the transaction through internal resources and shareholder support. The acquisition continues Jiji’s strategy of entering markets organically, competing aggressively with established platforms, and later pursuing consolidation through acquisitions. In 2022, the company acquired Tonaton, another classifieds platform owned by Sweden based Saltside Technologies, after years of rivalry in the Ghanaian market.
The Bikroy acquisition is also the third major competitor takeover by Jiji in six years. In 2019, the company acquired the African operations of OLX in Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Uganda, and Tanzania, a move that significantly expanded its market dominance and increased its monthly audience to more than eight million users across Africa.
According to Volianskyi, the company deliberately tests markets by launching local operations, building market presence, and applying competitive pressure before deciding whether consolidation would accelerate growth and leadership.
Industry analysts say the development highlights the growing global ambitions of African technology companies, particularly Nigerian startups increasingly expanding into international markets. Jiji’s entry into Bangladesh in March 2025 was initially positioned as a long term challenge to established platforms including Bikroy, Daraz, and Ajkerdeal.
However, the rapid acquisition of Bikroy within just over a year suggests that strategic consolidation may become a faster route for scaling operations in highly competitive digital marketplaces. Experts note that the expansion reflects the increasing maturity and financial strength of African tech firms seeking growth opportunities beyond the continent.