Jumia opens logistics service to third parties

November 03, 2020: Jumia has made its logistics service available for use by third party businesses who wish to leverage its network, technology and expertise for last mile deliveries across 11 countries in Africa.

Till now, Jumia’s logistics services were reserved for ecommerce and food vendors operating on its marketplace.

Apoorva Kumar, senior vice president logistics services at Jumia, said, “Our technology and last mile services have a wide coverage that enhances faster turnaround time, reliable handling of products and transparent reporting, all of which have contributed to the success of Jumia, both in urban and rural areas. We are proud to share this technology with a broader set of businesses and give them new opportunities to grow.”

Jumia's logistics marketplace is uniquely adapted to Africa, based on two main pillars. The first is its proprietary technology which aggregates demand and matches it with supply capacity on the basis of several parameters like quality of service, reachability of network and cost of delivery. The second pillar is its logistics network, which includes among its physical locations over 20 warehouses (110,000 square metres) and more than 1,300 drop-off stations and pick-up stations, located across Jumia’s 11-country market, including in remote areas.

In 2019, Jumia processed more than 20 million packages. In addition, partnerships with players such as Total, Vivo Energy and Posta Kenya allow for an even wider presence across the 11 countries where Jumia operates on the continent.

"Businesses across the countries are re-examining their costs, especially during Covid-19. For many, logistics is a major cost driver and headache to manage. We have the right infrastructure, people, partnerships and technology required to help third parties and partners solve logistics and marketing challenges. We believe we can provide better quality of service at lower cost,” Kumar said.

Over the last few months, Jumia has been successfully piloting its offering with selected clients, from small businesses shipping a few packages every week to larger corporations. “Our new partnership with Jumia forms an integral part of our strategy to grow our e-commerce sales in the next 5 years. Jumia’s unique ability to handle logistics – order management and processing, shipping and delivery and payments across the country to end users has opened for us a new way to reach our consumers in a fast efficient and effective manner more so especially during this time of Covid-19 pandemic,” said Joseph Choge, CEO, Premier Food Industries Kenya.

This move is also a boost for all Jumia Logistics local partners who will be able to drive more volume through the Jumia logistics network. “We have been Jumia’s logistics partner for many years. Our business has grown into an expansive operation hosting today 25 carriers and about 44 staff spanning multiple cities, all held together by Jumia's integrated technology. We have adapted our business using Jumia's apps that drive riders' efficiency and customer experience. We are very pleased to be able to receive more volumes in order to help us gain scale and grow our business, said Chidi Jud, CEO, ACOA Logistics Nigeria.