Africa Business Communities
yStats.com report
by: Bob Koigi
Online retail sales in Africa accounted for less than one per cent of the global total last year, even though some nations have already undergone a rapid growth period.
The yStats.com report points to improving connectivity rates, particularly through mobile connections, as setting the stage for growth in the near future.
Government regulations such as those recently enacted in Egypt are also expected to help in the development of E-Commerce.
The leading nation in online retail sales in Africa is South Africa, where E-Commerce revenues have been growing at double digit rates.
Online shopping is also making inroads in Morocco and Kenya, with more Internet users turning to making purchases digitally. The yStats.com report highlights sales growth in Nigeria, in spite of the recent economic turmoil in that nation.
The leading B2C E-Commerce merchant in Africa is Lagos-based Jumia, with three million customers spread through several nations, though there are other local online retail platforms such as Souq in Egypt and Kilimall in Kenya.
International players such as AliExpress and Amazon as well as sellers on social media are also seeing expansion in the continent, according to the yStats.com report. The top categories bought online in Africa include clothing and electronics.
www.ystats.com
