JuiceMe Acquires Ajiraworks, Strengthening Its Global Compliance Infrastructure
JuiceMe has announced its acquisition of Ajiraworks, a compliance-focused employment firm operating in the UK and Kenya. As part of the deal, Ajiraworks’ founder, Catherine Ochako, will assume the role of Global Director of Employer of Record (EOR) at JuiceMe, where she will also serve as a director and shareholder. This acquisition brings a wealth of operational assets, compliance frameworks, and intellectual property related to cross-border employment directly into JuiceMe’s operations.
This strategic move underscores JuiceMe’s recognition that success in Africa’s employment landscape relies heavily on acquiring the systems, partnerships, and organizational expertise that take years to cultivate. By integrating a well-established compliance model that has proven effective in various markets, JuiceMe aims to streamline its operations and growth.
Ajiraworks was specifically designed to address the structural hurdles companies face when entering African markets—issues such as fragmented regulations, inconsistent payment systems, and limited local infrastructure. The acquisition provides JuiceMe with Ajiraworks’ compliance framework, go-to-market strategies, and established partnerships in critical jurisdictions, bolstering the operational foundation of JuiceMe’s expanded EOR services.
Catherine Ochako brings over a decade of experience in developing cross-border employment businesses. Before founding Ajiraworks, she built an EOR capability from scratch, scaling the operations across 29 markets while managing a distributed team in the UK, South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya. Her expertise in transforming complex, multi-jurisdictional employment challenges into scalable solutions aligns perfectly with JuiceMe’s objectives.
In her statements regarding the acquisition, Ochako emphasized the importance of structure in achieving rapid growth. She noted that while speed is essential for companies entering new markets, a lack of proper frameworks can lead to significant risks. She expressed optimism that JuiceMe’s acquisition of Ajiraworks will enable the company to build robust systems that facilitate quick scaling while ensuring compliance.
In her new position at JuiceMe, Ochako’s mission will be to develop a structured hiring framework that allows companies to hire, pay, and manage talent across African markets with full compliance and operational consistency. The integration of Ajiraworks’ assets is expected to accelerate the development of this infrastructure, providing JuiceMe with a significant advantage that would be challenging to replicate through organic growth alone.
Lawrence Diamond, co-founder of JuiceMe, highlighted that incorporating Ajiraworks into the organization is a deliberate effort to fast-track the company’s initiatives across Africa. He noted, “Catherine and her team are already addressing some of the most pressing operational and compliance hurdles in cross-border employment.” By embedding this expertise directly into JuiceMe’s platform, the company aims to enhance its expansion efforts across the continent, which necessitates the right structure, credibility, and local knowledge to achieve success.
Sandile Dlamini, also a founder of JuiceMe, remarked on the complexities inherent in cross-border employment in Africa, stating that many companies underestimate these challenges. He reiterated that Ochako’s extensive experience and the operational infrastructure she brings—including tested compliance systems and market knowledge—will significantly enhance JuiceMe’s capacity to help businesses scale confidently throughout Africa.
