Autochek, the Nigerian car marketplace that aims to build solutions for the African market, has commenced operations in Accra, Ghana, building on Cheki Ghana’s footprints. Autocheck acquired Cheki Ghana last year.
The new office in Ghana will support the company’s customer acquisition and customer support in the country and as well help in the delivery of technology solutions to meet the needs of the country’s automotive market. Autochek is not stopping in Ghana but is laying the groundwork to be Africa’s one-stop-shop for car sales, car loans, and car repairs.
According to Etop Ikpe, CEO and Co-Founder of Autochek, “We are excited to be in Ghana and to be part of the ecosystem. The government is doing a lot of great work to support the automotive industry but there is also a need to make sure that vehicles meet a certain standard before they are bought or sold locally. This is where we hope to bring our expertise to create an effective and efficient marketplace for everybody.”
Autochek has already onboarded auto dealers and auto workshops from across the country to not only consumers to purchase or sell cars but also book maintenance and repairs via the app and the website.
Consumers in Ghana can now buy cars and access car loans via the Autocheck Android app now available or website. Autocheck also has an inspection service open to both Autocheck listed cars and to cars outside the Autochek network.
Cheki and Cars45 might not have performed so well in Ghana but Ikpe is confident that Autocheck will succeed as unlike Cheki and Cars45, Autocheck offers more services than just being a car marketplace. Its service offerings make it unique from the rest of the pack.
“This tech-enabled approach will enable a better customer experience and facilitate transparency and ease of doing business, which in turn translates to an increase in transactions and more efficient business operations,” Ikpe said.
Yvonne Ahlie, Head of Business Operations (Ghana) at Autochek, agrees with Ikpe, “The automotive industry in Ghana is one of the most advanced in Africa but there is still some work to be done, especially with regards to the day to day experience for consumers, dealers and workshops. The fragmentation of the industry means most players are operating in silos and are not able to reap the full benefits of what the market has to offer. There is also a dearth of comprehensive data that dealers and workshops can use to underpin business decisions and this is impacting their performance. This is where Autochek will make a difference by combining data and technology to transform the automotive transaction ecosystem and enable excellence across the value chain.”
Over the next year, Autochek aims to onboard more than 500 dealers and workshops across various cities in Ghana, making it easier for Ghanaians across the country to access the automotive services they need.