A third year student of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology Abass Abdul Latif has led a team to develop an e-commerce and quick delivery service, UXIBOX set to redefine the frontiers of the burgeoning q-commerce industry in Ghana.
The innovation obtainable over both android and IOS mobile app stores; offers customers a convenient and reliable shopping platform for food, pharmaceuticals, grocery, electronic stores and delivery services.
With a strong total customer service proposition, users of the UXIBOX App are linked to a wide catalogue of products from accredited partner restaurants; eateries; supermarkets; departmental stores; shops, health delivery facilities and pharmacies.
To ensure a good turnaround time, real time monitoring of deliveries and effective customer care; the UXIBOX team has moved away from using third party agents and rather assembled its own UXIBOX riders to undertake deliveries within a controlled structure that meets the company’s vision for speed and convenience.
Founder’s Story
Abass Abdul Latif told GHOne News the dream was birthed in Senior High School at Prempeh College when he begun making purchases and sales from different online e-commerce platforms.
“I loved online shopping so I bought some stuff from China and sold them on-line. I realized it was something I could easily do and that is how UXIBOX came about.”
“At first, it was just an e-commerce platform but as time went on we changed our business model and that is what you see,” Latif recounted.
Q-Commerce Market
E-Commerce and quick delivery service company Glovo\ exited Ghana in May, citing profitability challenges.
However, Latif and his team made up of other students of the KNUST, are positive Uxibox has what it takes to scale the profitability hurdles that drove giants like Glovo out of the market.
“They are a foreign company so their commercial interests might differ from UXIBOX which is an indigenous brand. I believe we have addressed the third party rider bottlenecks which offers quicker deliveries and made our app extremely inviting, interactive and user friendly. I feel it will be easier for us,” Latif exuded.
Students’ Inspiration
At Level 300; Latif’s story has become an inspiration for his colleagues and other students, some of whom have begun registering their products on the app to sell.
Loisey Akoto Frimpong, the first lady to order food on the app was full of commends for the team as she graced the launch to register her pastries brand – Vittles.
“Latif has really done well with this great innovation. I was the first lady to order food on the app. It is very convenient, easy to use and I will soon have my food brand on the app,” she stated.
High school mates of Latif who are helping drive the brand told reporter Ivan Heathcote – Fumador they were not surprised Latif had launched a business even before completing his undergraduate studies in Business Information Technology at the KNUST.
“When we were in SHS, he used to sell drones and cameras. He was so much into business even with the kind of books he read. Opening something like this, I am not surprised,” Eugene Jafet Akologo averred.
KNUST Interest
Management of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology have shown keen interest in supporting the student led initiative to blossom.
Associate Professor with the department of Agric-Economics; Agribusiness and Extension Professor James Osei Mensah said the university was elated to have young students rise above the complaints of unemployment to create opportunities for themselves and other unemployed graduates.
“We are talking about numerous youth who will be employed doing the shopping and handling of deliveries. At the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology where we celebrate and encourage innovation, we are very happy that a team of students from the university, have been able to come up with this app, going to address a societal need,” he pointed out.
African Indegenous Solutions
President of Bonvas Group Ghana, Nana Kwaku Opoku Bonah who inspired the team shared profound admiration for African youthful grit putting their best feet forward to solve African problems.
He nonetheless expressed need for indigenous businesses to embrace standardization and best practices that not only provides tailor made products and services to the African market, but also meets the expectations of quality that guarantees competitiveness.
“I have been a strong advocate for African solutions for African problems. Standardization should be recognized and proper standards for African products should be highly regulated.
It will ensure that any product coming from Africa being made for Africans is made of high quality meeting the demand that the African community requires for its development,” Opoku Bonah insisted.
UXIBOX Vision
Apart from the jobs it creates along the value chain, retail e-commerce sales are expected to reach 7.4 trillion dollars globally by 2025.
The vision of the team at UNIBOX is to expand coverage to other major regional capitals in the country; venture La Cote D’Ivoire and escalate its presence to major markets across the world.
Developer with Ikesoft Technologies, Isaac Adu Amankwah whose company developed the technical bit of the company is positive, the company has what it takes to launch into deeper waters without any fears.
“Rome was not built in a day. Alibaba, Ali Express and those conglomerates did not bloom in a day. The same way, I believe that UXIBOX, with the amount of support people will be bringing in, will grow very, very fast,” he noted.
UXIBOX has given indication, a continuous research and development team is already in place to begin receiving feedback for the launch of subsequent versions of the app that offers a more immersive and fulfilling experience for its users.
Setbacks including the untimely death of a team lead – Kingsley Agyemang Banahene – could not deter the team of students from pulling through the app development stage, assembling of delivery riders and tying in with partner shops towards a successful launch.
Sisters of the deceased, Diana Ntriwa Darkwah and Akosua Prempeh who attended the launch of UXIBOXX were comforted their late brother who was part of the brains that pushed the project would be excited wherever he found himself.
UXIBOX represents another story of the ingenuity and eagerness of the Ghanaian youth to find commercially viable solutions, create jobs and make an impactful mark even in a challenging environment.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/Ivan Heathcote – Fumador