Bangui Fashion Week: Louma introduces fashion creators to online selling

From December 16 to 22, 2024, Bangui Fashion Week brought together designers, pattern makers, models and fashion creators. Invited by the organisers, Pétula Lenguezial, Louma’s director, led a workshop on “the importance and benefits of digital tools in selling products”, to show them what online selling can bring to their business.

Participants discovered Louma, the app that connects sellers and buyers. One of them, Evrard Mangao, installed the app on the spot: “People here have a lot to sell, but the problem is that they haven’t found dedicated places for it. Louma solves that problem. […] Thanks to Louma, people will get to know me better.”

The features presented

Pétula Lenguezial presented buying and selling, the app’s first feature, then the “Shop”, reserved for professionals, meant to help many entrepreneurs move out of the informal economy. To secure payments, Louma signed a partnership with Orange Centrafrique to bring Orange Money into the platform. Pharmacies, taxis and drivers were also among the next steps.

“We need to raise awareness of this app. First we have to explain it to people and tell them where we are taking them. For now we focus on awareness workshops. […] Louma is for everyone,” she told the participants.

Stopping by the event, Hyppolite Ngaté, Minister of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, also encouraged participants to download the app. Louma, which means “market” in the local language, aims to cover the whole country.