Africa’s Tech Growth Stories: Jumia

Founded in 2012, Jumia has become the leading pan-African e-commerce platform, shaping how millions access goods and services across the continent. We spoke with its Global Head of Communication, Abdesslam Benzitouni, about the company’s journey and ambitions.

Can you tell us how Jumia was created and what inspired its founding?

Jumia was founded in 2012 with a simple but ambitious goal: to make it easier for people across Africa to access a wide range of products and services through digital technology. At the time, e-commerce was still very nascent on the continent, yet the founders recognized two powerful trends, Africa’s rapidly growing population and the increasing adoption of mobile phones and internet connectivity.

The idea was to build a platform that could connect consumers with local and international sellers, while also developing the logistics and payment infrastructure necessary to support online commerce in markets where such systems were still evolving.

From the beginning, Jumia positioned itself not just as an online retailer, but as a technology company building digital infrastructure for commerce in Africa. The vision was to create an ecosystem that supports entrepreneurs, empowers SMEs, and expands consumer access to goods and services.