Sikili

Sikili is a West African circular-technology company that buys back, refurbishes and resells consumer electronics — primarily iPhone, Samsung and MacBook devices, plus tablets and accessories — in Senegal and Côte d'Ivoire. Each device passes a 65-point inspection covering battery, screen, camera, speakers and connectivity before listing, is graded (A/B/C, described as Excellent, Très bon, Bon) and sold with a 12-month parts-and-labour warranty. The company states refurbished units cost up to 40% less than new equivalents, citing a refurbished iPhone 13 Pro at roughly 250,000 FCFA against over 500,000 FCFA new.

Operations span device buy-back and diagnostics (evaluation in under 24 hours across more than 50 models), local refurbishment by in-house technicians, and distribution with after-sales service. Delivery is offered within 48 hours to homes in Dakar and Abidjan, or same-day pickup at the Mermoz boutique in Dakar, where after-sales service is handled locally rather than by shipping devices abroad. Payment options include cash, bank transfer and Mobile Money, with instalment plans (a 40/30/30 split over three months) marketed as a BNPL alternative for customers without credit cards. Customer ordering and support also run through WhatsApp, with support advertised seven days a week.

The company frames its work around digital inclusion and e-waste reduction, positioning refurbished devices as a response to smartphone affordability barriers in Francophone Africa, and says it tracks impact in devices whose life is extended, tons of e-waste avoided and access created for underserved communities.

Founding story

Maguelone Biau, French and based in Côte d'Ivoire for around nine years after arriving for work, held roles at Jumia and led Glovo locally, with stints in Ghana, Uganda and Senegal. After a first startup failed, she used remaining funds from her initial investors to systematically search industries for a new opportunity and identified refurbished electronics as a gap in West Africa. Kadia Faye, Senegalese, spent close to a decade at Philip Morris, Samsung and Canon across markets from Mauritius to West Africa, building retail, B2B and marketing expertise. An investor from Biau's first venture who knew Faye introduced them; after a 45-minute first call and months of weekly calls, Faye met Biau in person in Abidjan during a Canon event and resigned from Canon to join full time. The business started with an initial investment of €20,000 and was bootstrapped through early sales and direct customer conversations.

Business model

Sikili operates a full-cycle reverse-commerce model: it purchases used devices from consumers and other sources, diagnoses and grades them, refurbishes them in its own local workshop, and resells them through an online catalogue and physical points of sale, adding warranty and after-sales service. A trade-in programme lets customers apply the appraised value of an old device against a new purchase.

Revenue comes from the margin on resale of refurbished smartphones, laptops, tablets and accessories, supported by trade-in buy-backs and instalment payment plans (40% deposit followed by two 30% payments over three months) collected via Mobile Money, bank transfer or cash.

Traction

The website reports more than 2,000 satisfied customers, 500+ customer reviews, an average rating of 4.9/5 (satisfaction also cited at 4.8/5 and 98% satisfied), device evaluation in under 24 hours across 50+ models, and 48-hour delivery. The founders cite word-of-mouth referrals from first customers as their proudest milestone.

Latest developments

Sikili launched its Dakar refurbishment workshop in January 2026, marked by a launch event in the city. In April 2026 TechCabal's Francophone Weekly profiled the founders and the business. Through 2026 the company has promoted instalment payment plans (40/30/30 over three months) for Senegal and Côte d'Ivoire and continued publishing market and pricing guides for both countries.