The most bought item on Jumia by Kenyans in 2020 is a 2-kilogram packet of sugar. This is a similar item that dominated the platform in 2019. According to Jumia Africa e-Commerce Index 2021, Kenya’s online purchase has shifted.
“Online grocery shopping has lagged in other categories historically in Kenya. The pandemic has shifted consumer behavior. Kenyans are now increasingly considering online shopping for their everyday needs,” said Jumia Kenya CEO Sam Chappate.
The report also shows that Nairobi tops the list as the Kenyan city with the highest number of online deliveries followed by Mombasa and Kiambu.
In Africa, Nairobi came in third among cities that order the most from Jumia. Lagos was the first city followed by Cairo. The top 10 cities are:
- Lagos
- Cairo
- Nairobi
- Casablanca
- Abidjan
- Giza
- Abuja
- Accra
- Kampala
- Rabat
According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), internet businesses in Africa, including e-commerce which sits at the heart of the digital economy, could add the US $180 billion to the continent’s GDP by 2025.
“COVID-19 led to a surge in the use of digital solutions, including e-commerce. This was particularly demonstrated with domestic sales rather than cross-border e-commerce. Food delivery, essentials, and pharmaceutical goods were among the top-performing online shopping categories,” said Torbjorn Fredriksson, Head of E-commerce and Digital economy, UNCTAD.