E-Business
E-Commerce for All: Jumia’s Role in Bridging the Digital Divide
E-commerce today has become as pervasive as universal languages and global trends. Yet, as far-reaching as this commercial phenomenon is, there remains a segment of society that has not experienced the thrill of shopping virtually and fast home delivery services. This segment is largely situated in rural communities, locations that are not yet immersed in the global digital economy.
While inhabitants of these rural communities are still largely underserved when it comes to e-commerce, Jumia — Africa’s leading online marketplace — has been making inroads into these regions, taking e-commerce and its advantages to the doorsteps of people who were previously overlooked.
Localising E-commerce
The digital divide refers to the gap between those who have access to modern information and communication technologies, particularly the internet, and those who do not. It’s a divide that extends beyond mere connectivity; it encompasses disparities in digital literacy, access to devices, and opportunities for economic participation. While the world has witnessed exponential growth in internet penetration, vast segments of the population, particularly in emerging economies, remain excluded from the digital revolution. The digital economy offers a plethora of opportunities, from e-commerce to remote work, providing individuals with the means to participate in the global marketplace. By enabling access to digital platforms, economies can thrive, creating a more equitable distribution of wealth.
In 2o23, Jumia released its “E-commerce in Rural Areas” report — a document that details Jumia’s efforts in making e-commerce easily accessible to everyone, regardless of geographical location and purchasing power. According to this report, one tactic Jumia leverages so effectively is one most Nigerians have experienced at some point — grassroots activations or in Jumia terminologies, the JForce.
Launched in 2016, JForce is a network of over 40,000 independent sales consultants that help thousands of Nigerians in rural communities surmount the digital divide. Through the Force, Jumia leverages a communal, offline marketing approach that enables individuals without access to the internet to access Jumia’s sprawling catalogue of products.
Eliminating Logistic Barriers
Supplying the other half of the e-commerce equation, Jumia also established pick-up stations and forged partnerships to surmount logistic challenges to rural communities. More specifically, the online marketplace brand set up 250+ pick-up stations and established alliances with several third-party logistic partners to facilitate product delivery to secondary cities and rural areas.
The strategic placement of pick-up stations across various towns ensures that inhabitants of even the most remote corners of Nigeria are not relegated. This initiative has been a viable pathway to help rural communities overcome geographical limitations and tap into the global economy, effectively enriching these communities.
Investing in the Local Economy
Further underscoring Jumia’s drive for accessibility and inclusivity, Jumia has invested in training local entrepreneurs as agents to bolster their income through its commission structure. Through this tactic, the company has created many jobs and business opportunities for rural entrepreneurs, fostering economic growth within these communities. As a testament to the impact of this strategy, Jumia has thousands of individuals signed up as JForce agents in these regions that were once cut off from global commerce — bolstering both the economic powers of denizens and the targeted communities as a whole.
According to the “E-commerce in Rural Areas” report, Jumia’s efforts at bridging the existing digital divide have been felt not only by rural entrepreneurs but also by families. The report reveals that about half of orders made on the Jumia marketplace platform, and delivered through its impressive network of pick-up stations and logistic services, are bound for either rural areas or secondary cities (23% rural areas, 22% secondary cities in 2023). Families in these regions are taking advantage of Jumia’s extensive catalogue of over 50 million products and on-ground agents, saving themselves time and money while ordering essential items either directly to their doorsteps or nearby pick-up stations.
Jumia’s strategies have undoubtedly had a far-reaching impact. Since launching its aggressive crusade to take e-commerce to underserved communities, people who had limited to no digital literacy have had opportunities to participate in the global digital ecosystem. Now, more individuals can learn and harness skills such as online shopping, online payments, and navigating e-commerce platforms that have proven not only useful for personal interests but also for increasing their incomes and purchasing power. By promoting digital inclusion and literacy, Jumia helps bridge the digital divide and enables communities to fully participate in the benefits of the digital age.
E-Business
Jumia Replatforms its Retail Media Program to Mirakl Ads to Enhance Marketplace Advertising
Jumia, e-Commerce platform in Africa, has partnered with Mirakl to elevate its marketplace advertising capabilities by deploying Mirakl Ads, a retail media solution uniquely designed to optimize performance for both first-party and third-party sellers.
This move strengthens Jumia’s efforts to deliver more value to its sellers, enhance the customer experience, and unlock profitable and sustainable new sources of revenue. Retail media is a rapidly growing sector within the e-commerce industry, expected to reach $204 billion by 2027 with a projected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17.2%.
Jumia’s adoption of Mirakl Ads positions the company at the forefront of digital advertising innovation in Africa, unlocking significant opportunities to increase revenue generation. With growing usage across its platform, Jumia is well-placed to capitalize on this momentum by delivering improved advertising tools to sellers and more relevant, personalized product recommendations to customers.
“Advertising is a key growth lever in our marketplace strategy, and this partnership with Mirakl allows us to accelerate that journey with speed and scale.
“By integrating Mirakl Ads, we’re empowering our sellers with smarter tools and delivering a better, more personalized experience to our customers. It also positions us to unlock new revenue streams while deepening engagement across our platform. Importantly, this partnership supports our ambition to grow gross profit and accelerate our path to profitability,” said Francis Dufay, CEO of Jumia.
The collaboration is a testament to Mirakl’s ability to rapidly deploy enterprise-grade solutions, with Jumia launching Mirakl Ads in just two months. This showcases the platform’s ease of integration and fast time-to-value. Now live, the solution equips Jumia’s advertising ecosystem with advanced automation, AI-powered optimization, and seamless campaign management.
With Mirakl Ads, all advertisers – from the biggest brands to the smallest marketplace sellers – can now boost their sales by leveraging advertising campaigns in Ghana, Uganda, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, Egypt, Algeria, Morocco and Ivory Coast.
“Jumia’s decision to replatform to Mirakl Ads is a powerful validation of our platform’s ability to deliver immediate and measurable impact for leading marketplaces. By combining Mirakl’s cutting-edge retail media technology with Jumia’s deep market reach, we are enabling sellers to grow faster and customers to benefit from a more relevant, engaging experience. This partnership is a true milestone, not only for Jumia and Mirakl, but for the future of digital commerce across Africa.” said Adrien Nussenbaum, cofounder and co-CEO of Mirakl.
Through this partnership, Jumia is taking a decisive step in accelerating monetization, improving customer engagement, and advancing its long-term financial performance and profitability.
E-Business
Galaxy Backbone, Rural Electrification Agency Commit to Deepening Digital and Energy Access Across Nigeria
In a major step towards deepening Nigeria’s digital and energy infrastructure, Galaxy Backbone Limited (GBB) and the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) have signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at a brief but impactful ceremony held in Abuja.
The MoU signals a collaborative effort between both agencies to enhance Nigeria’s digital transformation agenda by integrating reliable energy solutions with cutting-edge ICT infrastructure, especially in higher institutions, Government institutions, underserved and rural communities across the country.
Speaking at the event, the Managing Director/CEO of Galaxy Backbone, Professor Ibrahim A. Adeyanju, described the partnership as “a landmark moment in Nigeria’s journey towards a digitally empowered, sustainably powered, and inclusively connected nation.”
“This partnership exemplifies what is possible when two visionary government institutions come together, united by shared goals and driven by the desire to improve the lives of Nigerians everywhere,” he said.
Professor Adeyanju emphasized that while Galaxy Backbone’s core mandate is to provide secure digital infrastructure that powers government operations, reliable and sustainable energy particularly in rural areas is essential to fully actualize digital transformation.
Major highlights of the MoU include:
- Solar electrification of some of GBB’s Metro Fibre sites in Abuja by the REA.
- Powering Hostels of Higher Institutions across the country through the Fibre to Hostel Project being driven by the Federal Ministry of Communications Innovation and Digital Economy (FMCIDE).
- Support for the rollout of the 774 Local Government Digitization Initiative, beginning with six pilot Local Government Areas.
- Provision of LANs, access points, cloud services, colocation infrastructure, and temporary connectivity to enhance REA’s operational facilities nationwide.
The Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Agency Mr Abba Aliyu, in his remarks, expressed optimism that this collaboration will further bridge the digital and energy divide across Nigeria. He noted that by combining REA’s achievements in expanding energy access with GBB’s robust ICT backbone, both agencies are poised to create lasting impact across governance, education, healthcare, and entrepreneurship.
This partnership is also in direct alignment with the Renewed Hope Digital Transformation Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, which envisions an inclusive digital economy powered by innovation and sustainable energy.
The ceremony was attended by top management from both organizations as well as members of the media.
With today’s signing, Galaxy Backbone and the Rural Electrification Agency have set the tone for stronger, smarter, and more inclusive public service delivery powered by strategic inter-agency collaboration.
National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has announced the restoration of its National Identification Number (NIN) verification services nationwide.
This, according to the commission, follows the completion of a system maintenance exercise.
In a statement issued on Friday, the NIMC confirmed that all previously disrupted services have resumed.
“NIMC wishes to inform the general public that the recent technical maintenance has been completed and all services have been restored,” the statement read.
The NIMC urged Nigerians seeking to enroll for NIN to visit the its official website to locate the nearest enrollment centers.
The agency also encouraged individuals to make use of its self-service portal for tasks such as data modification, including name changes.
To further ease the verification process, the Commission recommended downloading the NIMC NameAuth app (oath.app) from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store for quick and secure NIN authentication.
NIMC expressed appreciation for the public’s patience during the service disruption, which had impacted banks, telecom providers, and government agencies that rely on NIN verification for their operations.
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