Jumia, a leading pan-African e-commerce platform, has reiterated its commitment to drive economic growth through the expansion to underserved regions and rural areas to close the inequality gap.
The Chief Executive Officer, Jumia Nigeria, Massimiliano Spalazzi, said this at the launch of its Rural Area Report titled: “E-Commerce in Rural Areas” in Lagos.
He said the report highlights Jumia’s remarkable achievement in penetrating underserved regions and bringing e-commerce opportunities to overlooked populations.
Noting that the company had adopted a two-pronged approach that allowed Jumia to rapidly extend its reach beyond major cities, he said bridging the digital divide and empowering communities with access to a wide range of products and services through online platforms was a testament to the company’s mission. The approaches, he said, are Pick-Up Stations (PUS) and Jumia Force (JForce) agents.
“By collaborating closely with select logistics partners, Jumia has streamlined its supply chain operations, ensuring seamless delivery of products to these underserved markets,” he said.
Spalazzi explained that the pick-up stations were very convenient because they had been strategically placed at the closest location where customers reside, allowing them to pick their items with less delivery fee.
He added that the report underscored the important role played by JForce, a network of over 43,000 independent sales consultants, in educating consumers about Jumia’s offerings.