Fixit45 acquires Parkit, to facilitate vehicle care services in Africa

Fixit45, a Pan-African auto-tech startup has acquired Parkit, a network of tech-enabled autocare and car wash centres.

Launched in July 2021, Fixit45 combines an online-to-offline strategy and unique approach of deploying digital technology with local expertise to deliver exceptional service across the verticals. This includes auto services, auto parts sourcing, auto care, refurbishment, roadside assistance and repair financing.

Since 2018, Parkit has continued to use technology in making the customer journey for car washes very seamless by automating payments, helping them acquire the right tools for the job and providing professional care services that were not available in-country.

Justus Obaoye, CEO and Co-Founder, Fixit45 said "Parkit has been fully integrated in the Fixit45 family and we look forward to providing market leadership. Parkit is committed to building out and digitizing the fragmented vertical in the autocare and car wash space. They provided business support, training and consumables to businesses and ensured that the experience was rewarding for fleet and car owners.

"We found synergies in what they were doing at the time and we approached them to   join us in this journey to fix and build the aftermarket ecosystem which has culminated in the acquisition", Obaoye stated.

In a statement, Fixit45 announced that they are collaborating with a lot of stakeholders and partners with a view to deepening value creation in the ecosystem. Some of these stakeholders include workshops, spare part suppliers, insurance companies, tow trucks, fintechs, and fleet owners.

Also Read: How Fixit45 is redefining auto aftermarket experience across Nigeria

Currently operating across 4 cities in Nigeria with more than 100 network partners and over 2500 vehicles under management, Fixit45's ambition is to become Africa’s largest and most trusted autotech platform.

The acquisition was accompanied by the unveiling of the Fixit45 Vehicle Intact Programme (VIP), a subscription-based model to deliver quality and affordable repair and maintenance services via subscription-based plans with a view to ensuring that the lifetime value of a vehicle or fleet is enhanced and productivity optimized.

According to Bemigho Awala, Head of Marketing and Communications at Fixit45, "It is gratifying to see the uptake and adoption of Fixit45’s service platform by corporates in the FMCG, Mobility and Tech industry. The glowing commendations we have received will further spur us to do more in the aftermarket space.

Our value propositions of affordability, peace of mind, quick turnaround time, convenience, quality assurance and accessibility will never go out of fashion. We will double down on these and ensure that the vehicle ownership experience is better improved. - Bemigho Awala

How the Fixit45 Vehicle Intact Programme (VIP) works

The VIP subscription model has four plans: service plan, maintenance plan, extended services plan and the emergency services plan.  

• The Service Plan ensures that subscribers don't have to worry about workmanship and getting their vehicles in good shape.
• The Maintenance Plan is a commitment to a routine and or scheduled preventive maintenance which in turn mitigates the need for some repair work on the vehicle.
• The Extended Service Plan works as an HMO for vehicles in which subscribers transfer to us the duty of keeping their fleet and or vehicles operational at all times. Because breakdowns don’t announce themselves.
• The Emergency Service plan is designed to give comfort and succor to motorists in the event of a breakdown.  

"We have built a robust end-to-end ecosystem platform that caters for all players in the aftermarket segment. The industry has largely been based on brick-and-mortar operations and it is our intention to disrupt and digitize this space using technology", Abdulazeez Ogunjobi, c0-founder & CTO at Fixit45 said.  

Fixit45 caters to needs in the repair and maintenance segment, Parkit plays in the auto care vertical; Xparts is a discovery and trading platform for spare parts where users can explore a rich inventory, find exacts parts based on the platform’s AI tools and get these parts in very good time and Rampware is a Software-as-a-Service tool to help auto-workshops manage their operations and improve service delivery experience.