Egypt-based healthtech startup Duaya has announced the acquisition of EXMGO, a local Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) provider catering to pharmacies and other medical businesses, in a six-figure deal. While the exact transaction value remains undisclosed, this strategic move is set to significantly bolster Duaya’s e-commerce capabilities and accelerate its mission for pharmacy digitization within the region.

Founded in 2021 by Ahmed Fazara, Duaya has established itself as a crucial link between medical suppliers and various healthcare entities, including pharmacies, hospitals, clinics, and laboratories. The company currently boasts collaborations with over 500 medical suppliers and serves an extensive network of 12,000 clients. Duaya has ambitious growth targets, aiming to expand its client base to 25,000 by the end of the year and embarking on an expansion into the Gulf region by 2026.

Following the acquisition, EXMGO has been rebranded as Duaya Go. This new platform empowers pharmacies to create their own branded applications and websites, providing them with essential tools to efficiently manage sales, inventory, and payments. Additionally, Duaya Go facilitates direct communication between pharmacies and their customers, enhancing engagement and service delivery. Duaya emphasizes that this acquisition substantially broadens its suite of solutions, moving beyond core medical supply logistics to encompass advanced software offerings, artificial intelligence, and direct-to-consumer e-commerce functionalities.

The strategic importance of this acquisition is underscored by the current state of Egypt’s pharmacy market, which is characterized by a high degree of fragmentation. With more than 70,000 outlets scattered across the country, a significant majority still operate offline. While sectors like retail and transport have seen rapid digitization, the healthcare sector has been slower to adopt digital platforms. However, a growing demand for online services, coupled with the imperative for more efficient supply chains, is now compelling healthcare players to embrace digital solutions.

By integrating EXMGO, Duaya is strategically positioning itself as a dual-faceted entity: both a supply aggregator and a comprehensive software provider. This enables the company to offer end-to-end digital tools for medical businesses. The relaunch as Duaya Go introduces a vital consumer-facing e-commerce layer, offering pharmacies a direct channel to sell products online, seamlessly integrated with their payment and inventory management systems. This integrated approach mirrors successful trends observed in other markets, such as India, where platforms like PharmEasy and 1mg have effectively digitized fragmented pharmacy sectors to capture significant market share. Duaya’s latest move further highlights a broader regional shift within MENA healthtech towards vertical integration, where the combination of supply chain management, digital infrastructure, and e-commerce is driving enhanced scale and efficiency in healthcare service delivery.