Ringier Sells BuyRentKenya to Rushbox As It Refocuses On African Jobs Verticals

Ringier has sold BuyRentKenya to Rushbox Ltd as the Swiss group concentrates its Sub-Saharan portfolio on jobs and general classifieds. The deal hands the Nairobi portal to a buyer already active in real estate marketplaces in Mauritius and Zimbabwe.

The divestment ends BuyRentKenya’s run as a standalone vertical within Ringier’s African network. The company framed the move as a deliberate consolidation to scale The African Talent Company, the group’s jobs and talent ecosystem. Axel Konjack, Head of Marketplaces at Ringier, said:

“Rushbox, led by African tech entrepreneur Garth Drummond, brings significant experience in operating real estate marketplaces in Zimbabwe and Mauritius, offering synergies from which BuyRentKenya will greatly benefit. This step will allow BuyRentKenya to further grow under Rushbox’s leadership while we continue to focus on our strategic priorities around jobs and talents across the Sub Saharan African Continent. We’re convinced Garth and his team are the right partners to further develop BuyRentKenya.”

Rushbox already operates PropertyCloud in Mauritius and Property.co.zw in Zimbabwe; both of these brands face stiff competition in their respective markets.

In BuyRentKenya, however, Rushbox has acquired a brand which is considered a market leader in its vertical, competing with the likes of Hauzisha, Property24 Kenya, Jiji and a cluster of smaller local portals.

Below: Watch our 2023 interview with BuyRentKenya CEO, Lizzier Costabir

Commenting on the deal, Garth Drummond, CEO of Rushbox Ltd., said:

“By combining our cross market expertise and technological strengths with BuyRentKenya’s established brand and local insights, we see a great opportunity to bring new value to the Kenyan real estate market.”

Both companies are keeping financial terms private. Ringier says it is doubling down on jobs and general classifieds, while real estate verticals in East Africa continue to shift toward owners with tighter local focus.