Mubawab, the leading real estate portal in Morocco and Tunisia (according to Similarweb), now has a new majority shareholder and parent company, reports Online Market Places.
The news comes from a LinkedIn post published on May 8, announcing that Mubawab is embarking on an “ambitious technological renewal” under its new parent company, Africa Property Portals.
Little is known about the new owner—the company’s website is a single-page placeholder, and it has no LinkedIn presence.
However, Africa Property Portals is described as “dedicated to promoting next-generation real estate portals in Africa, with apparent plans for a pan-African vision involving further investments in regional platforms.
The social media announcement stated that under new leadership, Mubawab will focus more on technology, particularly AI.
Several AI-powered features—including automated ad management, price estimations, and a recommendation engine, have already been rolled out, with more in development.
“Artificial intelligence isn’t just a trend for us—it’s a real tool for digitizing agencies and developers in an increasingly demanding and digital market,” said Abderra El Haitout, CTO of both portals.
In 2018, UAE-based Dubizzle Group (formerly EMPG) acquired a 51% stake in Mubawab and invested $10 million in 2021.
However, in January 2024, the company underwent a leadership reshuffle:
– Founder Kevin Gormand became Group Chairman,
– Zineb Bouayad took over Moroccan operations,
– Anis Gharbie now oversees Tunisia.
While Dubizzle Group has not confirmed its exit from Mubawab, its absence from the Emirati group’s website and the tone of the LinkedIn post suggest a likely divestment.
In Morocco, Mubawab competes with Avito (owned by FDV), a horizontal classifieds platform. In Tunisia, its main rival is Tayara, another FDV-owned horizontal marketplace.
