Ariba’s mobile plan to support Africa’s suppliers

Management at Ariba, a SAP company and provider of cloud-based applications, collaborative solutions and the company behind the establishment of the Ariba network web-based trading community, believes being part of SAP will add value to businesses across Africa.

The company wants to broaden its network to incorporate more businesses across the continent and believes companies can leverage off what they believe to be a more efficient, more productive collaborative procurement process.

According to information supplied by the company, the Ariba business network connects one million companies – incorporating both suppliers and buyers – across 190 countries and handles an annual transaction volume of $450 billion.

This is the resource Ariba management believes African businesses can leverage off to strengthen their procurement processes.

The company is not new to the African market. It has experience in dealing with established mining operations on the continent, including Anglo American, via its acquisition of procurement support organisation and eMarketplace-focused entity Quadrem in 2010.

Quadrem was an established network in the Southern hemisphere, originally one orientated for mining companies, some of whom have a substantial supply base within Africa.

Today, as part of the SAP fold, Ariba management is upbeat about the relevance and value proposition to operators within emerging markets like Africa.

Tim Minahan, SVP Global Network Strategy & Chief Marketing Officer at Ariba, said the intention is to work with companies to support local suppliers.

“SAP allows us to offer more capabilities, like mobility. We want to make it easier to bring suppliers on board, those in remote areas. Mobile devices are everywhere and that is the platform that we want to be on. This will expose businesses to new opportunities, to manage orders and invoices,” he says.

“When a small company, in a remote region, is really fostering economic growth in an area where there hasn’t been any, that is exciting… we are fortunate to have these largest companies, particularly mining companies, that are developing these empowerment programmes, that are doing big supply development. We have a role in helping (them) grow these economies, not only driving their businesses,” Minahan adds.

Chris Tredger, Online Editor