When Prosus makes a move, markets listen. The majority Prosus owner is Naspers, the South African multinational with deep roots in global tech investments.
From its massive stake in Tencent to scaling OLX across Eastern Europe and Latin America, the Dutch-based firm has built a reputation for spotting undervalued digital ecosystems and supercharging them with AI and data smarts.
Prosus Tencent ties are crucial, as Prosus is the largest single shareholder in the Chinese tech giant.
But as of late September 2025, Prosus is shifting westward with laser focus: France. The catalyst? A blockbuster €1.1 billion ($1.3 billion) acquisition of La Centrale, France’s premier online auto marketplace, by its OLX Group arm.
This isn’t just a deal; it’s a declaration that France is Prosus’s point of entry for conquering Western Europe’s digital economy.
Prosus CEO Fabricio Bloisi has emphasised the company’s commitment to AI-driven growth across its global portfolio.
Prosus’s European Ambition
Prosus isn’t entering France blindly. Back in June 2025, the company unveiled Prosus Ignite, its blueprint for transforming into Europe’s largest internet company by value, targeting over $200 billion in the next three years.
At the heart of this vision? Doubling down on its core classifieds and e-commerce engines, like OLX and eMAG, while leveraging collaborative efforts across food delivery (via Just Eat Takeaway) and lifestyle verticals.
The numbers are ambitious: Prosus aims for 2.5x revenue growth from $3.5 billion in FY25 and 3x adjusted EBITDA growth from $425 million in the same period.
Prosus subsidiaries include leading platforms in food delivery, payments, and online marketplaces such as OLX and iFood.
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Classifieds, particularly in the motors space, have emerged as a turbocharger. In its FY25 results (reported in June), Prosus clocked 21% e-commerce revenue growth and a whopping 47% jump in core headline earnings to $7.4 billion.
The motors category alone drove 18% revenue uplift year-over-year, underscoring why auto marketplaces are non-negotiable for scaling.
The next logical step for OLX was to enter Western Europe, where its established but ready-for-disruption auto industry makes it a perfect fit.
OLX already held a dominant position in markets like Poland and Brazil. Prosus Naspers remains one of the most influential investor entities linking Africa to the global tech ecosystem.
The La Centrale Deal: A €1.1 Billion Power Play
The all-cash acquisition of La Centrale from U.S. private equity firm Providence Equity Partners marks OLX’s first major venture into Western Europe.
La Centrale, a 60-year-old icon in French auto classifieds, boasts 4.5 million monthly unique visitors and around 350,000 active vehicle listings, making it the go-to platform for buyers and sellers in a market that funnels roughly 1.6 million used cars annually through its ecosystem.
Under Providence’s ownership since 2021, La Centrale has posted a solid 12% compound annual growth rate in classifieds revenue while sharpening its profitability.
Post-acquisition, it will fold into OLX’s portfolio, leveraging the group’s 200+ data scientists and €20 million annual AI spend to turbo-boost features like dynamic pricing, inventory management, and buyer matching.
Expect integrations that blend La Centrale’s deep French market intel with OLX’s cross-border playbook, potentially unlocking new revenue streams in adjacent verticals like parts and services.
Why France?
Here’s a quick snapshot of the opportunity:
| Factor | France’s Edge | Why It Suits Prosus |
|---|---|---|
| Market Size | 2nd largest in Western Europe; 1.6M used cars sold annually via platforms like La Centrale | Scales OLX’s motors expertise from emerging markets to a premium, regulated economy |
| Digital Maturity | Only 36% of used sales via dealers (vs. 70% in Germany) | Room for platforms to capture private-party and hybrid sales with AI tools |
| EV Shift | Government incentives driving 20%+ annual EV adoption | Data-driven sourcing/pricing positions La Centrale as EV marketplace leader |
| AI Hub Status | France’s €2.2B national AI plan (2025-2030) | Aligns with Prosus’s €20M+ AI investments for hyper-local innovation |
The goal? Hit OLX’s “rule of 70” with over 20% revenue growth paired with EBITDA margins north of 50% fuelled by this Franco-OLX fusion.
Risks, Rewards, and What’s Next
No major investment is without risk. Short-term headwinds ranging from integration hurdles and regulatory scrutiny in France to weaker consumer spending amid inflation could weigh on performance.
Yet Prosus’s track record, including scaling OLX into a €10B+ revenue business, underscores its resilience.
With its rapid expansion in Europe and beyond, Prosus careers are increasingly attractive to professionals in e-commerce and technology.
Looking ahead, expect more French firepower. With Prosus eyeing €12.5 billion in total revenue by 2028 (double from 2025 levels), La Centrale could be the spark for adjacent acquisitions in fashion, real estate, or even food delivery partnerships.
What do you think: smart pivot or overreach? Drop your takes in the comments. For more on Prosus’s playbook, check their FY25 Annual Report.
Ronnie Paul is a seasoned writer and analyst with a prolific portfolio of over 1,000 published articles, specialising in fintech, cryptocurrency, climate change, and digital finance at Africa Digest News.
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