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How Konga is Bridging E-Commerce Gap for Millions of Unreached, Under-Served Nigerians
For a population of over 190 million, it is perhaps shocking to countenance the fact that about 70% of Nigerians – a whopping 130 million – are still skeptical of shopping online and yet to be captured in the e-Commerce net – an anomaly that Konga’s futuristic business model is gradually catering to.
According to latest estimates from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the global e-commerce market is worth around $22.1 trillion.
Data from research firm Statista also indicates that e-Commerce in Africa accounted for $16.5 billion in revenue in 2017, with forecasts estimating revenue in the sector to gross the $29 billion mark by 2022.
Interestingly, Africa’s share of the global e-commerce market is expected to grow even more significantly in the years ahead, backed by factors such as increasing levels of literacy, fall in average smartphone prices, mobile adoption, growing internet penetration and innovative payment solutions.
The foregoing has seen projections of Africa as the next emerging market to make significant strides in online shopping.
Perhaps justifying its status as the continent’s biggest market and most populous country, Nigeria is further estimated to play home to about 40% of the continent’s e-Commerce ventures within its shores – a positive development that has, nevertheless, failed in ensuring that the bulk of the country’s under-served or unreached millions partake in the e-Commerce revolution.
A number of factors are responsible for the current state of affairs.
Despite the sweeping changes caused by the e-Commerce bug which has bitten a lot of savvy Nigerians, shopping in Nigeria is still largely traditional and the issue of trust has further hindered the pace of growth.
Further adding to the dire situation is the sheer proportion of Nigerians who are left out of the equation.
Indeed, to millions of Nigerians who reside outside the cosmopolitan cities such as Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt, for instance, online shopping is a hard sell.
Through a realistic and well-thought out business model, Konga is gradually changing the narrative in the following ways:
Growing chain of nationwide physical retail stores: With over 30 brick-and-mortar stores spread nationwide and many more springing up all over Nigeria’s vast landscape, Konga has given millions of unreached Nigerians a reason to smile. A bold, ambitious plan to spread its tentacles across the length and breadth of the nation, with the establishment of at least one store in each of Nigeria’s 774 local government areas, will unleash the power of the country’s booming population and see e-Commerce finally achieving its huge potential in Nigeria and beyond.
Improved Logistics means swift delivery: Through Kxpress, its in-house logistics company, Konga boasts a considerable and growing fleet of line-haul trucks, vans, buses and motorbikes through which it has bridged the distance between the average shopper in the hinterlands and a taste of the e-commerce experience. Kxpress not only handles last-mile deliveries but has also received huge investment which has expanded its network. Also available are pick-up points and distribution centres in every part of Nigeria, further ensuring that more Nigerians can join the e-Commerce train.
Suite ofCutting-edge Payment Solutions: Riding on KongaPay, an internally-owned Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) licensed payment system — Konga offers all classes of Nigerians a secure and reliable e-wallet that works with all banks in Nigeria. The app ensures that the customer’s money is held in escrow until a sales transaction is completed successfully. Through strategic partnerships with world-class payment solutions providers such as Visa, Konga has also ensured that this recurring pain-point is becoming a thing of the past. It is, however, through the other options it offers shoppers that Konga has distinguished itself. These include payment on delivery which it re-introduced in August 2018, payment on pick-up of items and cash payment in all of its stores nationwide.
Opportunity to self-fulfil: Nigerians love the physical touch that an offline or brick-and-mortar store offers. Through its nationwide network of retail stores, Konga has given millions of skeptical or under-served Nigerians a platform on which to play an active participatory role in e-Commerce. Shoppers in all nooks and crannies of Nigeria can visit a Konga store of their choice to pay and collect any item of their choice, while for many others, the store represents a useful pick-up location for self-fulfilling their online orders. What’s more, a visitor to any of the stores can choose to place an order for a physically unavailable item(s) for delivery to their homes/locations or personally pick-up at a later date.
Mohammed Idris, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to collaborating with key stakeholders in the global information and broadcasting sector to strengthen Nigeria’s information dissemination framework.
This pledge was made on Monday during discussions with prominent broadcast and information companies at the ongoing National Association of Broadcasters Show 2025 in Las Vegas, United States.
Speaking at the event, Idris said the Bola Tinubu administration remained committed to adopting cutting-edge technologies and acquiring state-of-the-art equipment for Federal Government media organisations to ensure effective service delivery.
“Strategic communication is essential to ensuring that the policies of the Renewed Hope Agenda reach the Nigerian people effectively,” he stated.
The minister also highlighted the government’s plans to invest in upgrading facilities and replacing outdated infrastructure in radio, television, and other media institutions.
According to the minister, this will improve the dissemination of credible, balanced, and objective information to the public.
Idris further said that the government would explore collaborations and partnerships that would allow local broadcasters to benefit from emerging technologies and industry-specific training opportunities.
The minister had visited exhibitions showcasing hardware and software solutions during the event.
Items exhibited included broadcast antennas, transmitters, and studio equipment, which are pivotal for enhancing broadcasting capabilities.
Thomas King, Chairman of KINTRONIC Laboratories and Enrico Vaccari, Chief Operating Officer of Axel Technology SRL, had expressed their organisations’ readiness to partner with the Nigerian government.
Gianluca Baccalini, Chief Operating Officer of System Engineering Solutions and Khiran Keerodhur, Chief Operating Officer of Thomson Broadcast, among others, also expressed commitment to enhancing Nigeria’s broadcasting landscape and regulatory agencies.
Idris is leading a delegation of chief executives of agencies in his ministry to the NAB event.
Members of the delegation included the Managing Director of NAN, Ali Muhammad Ali, and the Director-General of the Nigeria Television Authority, Salihu Dembos.
Others are the Director-General of the National Broadcasting Commission, Charles Ebuebu; and Director-General of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria, Lekan Fadolapo.
Also in the delegation is the Director-General of Voice of Nigeria, Jibrin Ndace.The forum, NAN reports, is to strengthen broadcast collaborations and form strategic alliances. The NAB event, running from Saturday to Wednesday, has as theme: “The Technology, The Trend, The Future.”
NAN also reports that the forum is focusing on a range of topics, including Artificial Intelligence, cloud visualisation, creator economy, as well as sports production and streaming.
In a glowing testimonial that reveals the rising influence of Konga 103.7FM beyond Lagos, a business merchant from Kano, Mr. Ishaku Mohammed, shared how the station’s late-night programming helped him overcome insomnia and reconnect with hope.
Mr. Mohammed, who was in Lagos to attend a wedding, stumbled on KongaFM by chance, but the impact, he says, was life-changing.
“KongaFM solved my insomnia. It was like a miracle. I tuned in around 9 pm and left the radio on. The inspirational songs and messages gave me peace and helped me sleep properly again, for the first time in a long while,” said Mr. Mohammed.
Having returned to Kano, he now streams the station regularly on kongafm.com, calling it “a sound of hope in changing times.”
The testimonial has been widely shared on social media, drawing attention to the station’s unique blend of entertainment and emotionally resonant content. With increasing listenership on-air and via digital streams across Nigeria and, by extension, the world, Konga 103.7FM is quickly becoming a household name in the country’s evolving media space.
Speaking on the impact, Ifeoma Ajumobi, Head of Konga TV & Radio, noted: “Mr. Mohammed is exactly why we do what we do. At KongaFM, we’re not just filling the airwaves with music or talk, but filling a gap in people’s lives 24hrs daily. Whether it’s easing stress, igniting hope, as a domain of knowledge, or simply keeping people company through the night, our goal is to be the voice that truly resonates.
“We are building a station that listens, heals, inspires, and leads. And as we continue expanding our reach, our mission remains clear: to be Nigeria’s most human radio experience. One voice, one story, one soul at a time.”
KongaFM continues to deliver engaging programming in entertainment, inspiration, commerce, and culture. With a growing footprint in northern and southern Nigeria and a commitment to reflecting the voices of real people, the AI tech-driven station is positioning itself as a trailblazer in 21st-century African radio broadcasting.
Advertising Offences Tribunal (AOT) has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Captain Ado Sanusi, managing director, Aero Contractors Company of Nigeria Limited, for failing to appear before the tribunal in an ongoing case concerning alleged violations of Nigerian advertising laws.
The Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) filed a 22-count charge against Captain Sanusi and Aero Contractors, accusing them of exposing advertisements targeted at the Nigerian market without obtaining the necessary approval from the Advertising Standards Panel (ASP). This, according to ARCON, contravenes established Nigerian advertising regulations.
The case was initially scheduled for hearing on February 26, 2025. However, during the proceedings, Captain Sanusi was absent, prompting his legal representatives to assure the tribunal of his presence at the next hearing while also pleading for leniency. Despite these assurances, the defendant failed to appear on the adjourned date.
Given Captain Sanusi’s continued absence, the Advertising Offences Tribunal, in line with its mandate to enforce compliance with advertising regulations, issued a bench warrant for his arrest.
The tribunal has ordered that he be presented at its next sitting, scheduled for May 8, 2025.
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