Zoho Announces Partnership With J-Hub Africa

On February 29, 2024, Zoho, a global technology company, announced its collaboration with J-Hub Africa, the digital innovation hub that supports budding innovators and entrepreneurs at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT). Additionally, Zoho has partnered with Electronic Certification Service Providers (E-CSP) to assist local businesses in digitally signing legally valid contracts. Furthermore, Zoho’s solutions have been integrated with Safaricom M-PESA, a Kenyan payment gateway provider. Notably, Zoho experienced 41% growth in Kenya in 2023, positioning it as one of the fastest-growing markets in Africa. These significant developments were announced during Zoholics Kenya, Zoho’s annual user conference, held at the Hyatt Regency in Nairobi.

Veerakumar Natarajan, Country Head of Zoho Kenya, emphasized the company’s commitment to community progress. Zoho actively collaborates with local and hyper-local bodies to promote technology adoption among young innovators and early-stage startups. Additionally, Zoho invests in localizing its products, ensuring that businesses in Kenya can easily leverage their solutions while remaining compliant with both local and global regulations.

In its collaboration with J-Hub Africa, Zoho extends support to individuals and startups affiliated with the hub by granting them Zoho Wallet Credits of up to KES 100,000. These credits empower users to acquire any of Zoho’s 55+ cloud products, catering to diverse business functions such as sales, marketing, HR, accounting, communication, and collaboration. Additionally, beneficiaries gain access to Zoho One, the comprehensive business operating system, which seamlessly integrates multiple Zoho solutions on a unified platform. The shared technology stack ensures a fluid exchange of contextual data, enhancing overall efficiency.

Additionally, as part of this collaboration, Zoho commits to training JKUAT students specializing in technology streams. The focus is on harnessing cloud-based business technology to gain a competitive edge. The training encompasses several key areas:
Zoho Creator: A low-code platform enabling students to craft custom applications tailored to diverse business requirements.
Zoho CRM: A robust customer relationship management platform for efficient sales and marketing management.
Zoho Books: Facilitating streamlined financial management for companies while ensuring compliance with TIMS and VAT regulations.
This upskilling initiative empowers students with essential technology skills, irrespective of their industry, preparing them for a successful transition into the workforce.

Dr. Lawrence Nderu, Chairman of the Department of Computing at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), expressed enthusiasm about the transformative journey alongside Zoho. This collaboration holds the promise of significantly enhancing the innovation landscape, both within and beyond the JKUAT campus. Moreover, the alliance creates a pathway for IT division students to acquire technical proficiency across diverse business functions. The initiative underscores our dedication to seamlessly integrating practical skillsets into our academic curriculum, ensuring that our students are well-prepared to navigate and excel in the dynamic tech industry.

Zoho’s Collaboration with E-CSP for Zoho Sign

Zoho Sign, a robust digital signature application, has forged a strategic partnership with E-CSP TendaWorld Limited, duly licensed by the Communications Authority of Kenya. This alliance empowers Kenyan businesses to execute legally valid digital signatures for contracts and agreements, ensuring compliance with both local and global regulations. Notably, Zoho Sign seamlessly integrates with over 100 third-party applications, including Zoho CRM, Zoho Recruit, Zoho Books, Microsoft Teams, Google Workspace, Zapier, and more. Companies can conveniently utilize Zoho Sign directly within their preferred applications. The platform offers advanced features such as blockchain timestamping, generative AI capabilities.

Safaricom M-PESA Integration for Streamlined Payments

Providing customers with the convenience of online payments accelerates cash flow for businesses. Zoho has seamlessly integrated Safaricom M-PESA with its comprehensive finance suite, which includes:
Zoho Books: A TIMS-compliant accounting software facilitating efficient financial management.
Zoho Inventory: A robust solution for order and inventory management.
Zoho Billing: An end-to-end platform for streamlined billing processes.
This integration empowers businesses to accept online payments effortlessly. Customers can conveniently make payments through the customer portal or via the provided payment link.

Kenya’s Remarkable Growth with Zoho

In the year 2023, Zoho experienced substantial expansion in Kenya, marked by a 33% increase in its employee count and an impressive 212% growth in its partner network. This upward trajectory owes much to Zoho’s suite of powerful solutions:
Zoho One: A comprehensive, unified platform comprising over 55 products.
Zoho Workplace: An enterprise collaboration platform fostering seamless teamwork.
Zoho CRM Plus: Empowering exceptional customer experiences.
Zoho Books: A TIMS-compliant accounting software streamlining financial management.
Notably, the driving forces behind this growth span diverse sectors, including retail, insurance, financial services, IT hardware, and related services.

Fueling Zoho’s Success in Kenya

The burgeoning digital economy in Kenya, coupled with a surge in cloud adoption among businesses, significantly contributes to Zoho’s remarkable growth in the country. Our customers highly appreciate the localized features within our products, including robust integrations with regional vendors for e-signing, online payments, and other critical business operations. Moreover, the ability to purchase Zoho apps in Kenyan Shillings (KES) resonates well with our user base. As the demands of Kenyan businesses evolve in this digital era, Zoho remains steadfast in its commitment to supporting and empowering them through its robust technology stack.