E-Commerce in Africa and the Opportunities for a Hygiene Manufacturer

E-commerce in Africa is growing, but it is still in diapers. How can a diaper brand take advantage and be ahead of the curve?

What Jumia Thinks

According to McKinsey, Africa’s booming e-commerce sector has the ability not only to jump start small businesses but also to help large companies enter a vibrant market full of energized consumers. McKinsey goes on to say that “Africa has one of the most digitally connected populations on the planet, with 400 million internet users.” Africa’s number of connected population is a global second only after China. Sacha Poignonnec, co-founder and co-CEO of Jumia, Africa’s largest online and internet group, explains that e-commerce in Africa is great for large and small companies alike. 

He mentions that one of the biggest challenges for an online business in Africa is delivering the goods, driven by a prevalent poor address system. Companies in the logistics space in Africa like DHL have long adapted to this challenge. Anywhere else on the globe, it would be insufficient to say that the delivery address is “behind Kigali Mall next to the Church with a blue roof,” but with such an address description, companies like DHL are quite happy and capable of making a delivery in Africa. This points to good adaptation to one’s operating environment.

Read the rest of the article in Rodman Media's Nonwovens Industry Magazine, November 2019 Issue

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