Jumia CEO Highlights Nigeria’s E-Commerce Progress as Black Friday Becomes a Year-Round Phenomenon
As 2025 draws to a close, Temidayo Ojo, CEO of Jumia Nigeria, reflected on the recent holiday shopping season, emphasizing that it signals a maturing e-commerce landscape in Nigeria. “Black Friday is no longer a single, short-lived spike in activity,” he stated. “It has become a familiar, anticipated moment in the retail calendar, where consumers shop deliberately and with confidence.”
Early data for the two months ending November 30, 2025, reveals impressive year-on-year increases in both order volume and Gross Merchandise Value (GMV), with GMV growth surpassing that of orders. This trend indicates that shoppers are now filling their baskets more thoughtfully, avoiding fragmented transactions. Nigeria stood out among Jumia Group’s top markets, with customer engagement remaining consistent throughout the Black Friday period rather than experiencing a brief surge followed by decline.
A contributing factor to this sustained performance is the growing comfort of Nigerian consumers with online shopping. Users are increasingly utilizing platform features such as saved carts, brand stores, and price comparison tools to plan their purchases well in advance. This shift suggests that digital commerce is becoming a regular part of consumers’ daily routines, rather than just a special event.
Ojo also emphasized the importance of Jumia’s JForce network in connecting digital retail to local communities. “Our agents are critical to ensuring that customers across Nigeria, including secondary cities and smaller towns, have access to variety, consistent pricing, and reliable delivery,” he explained. “During peak periods like Black Friday, JForce agents can respond faster, serve more customers efficiently, and foster stronger relationships at the local level. This isn’t just a distribution channel—it’s a pathway to sustainable income and economic inclusion.”
In summing up the year’s achievements, the CEO noted: “What we’re seeing this year-end is steady engagement across categories, increased consumer confidence, and our partners like JForce benefiting from higher activity. It confirms that Nigeria’s e-commerce ecosystem is maturing, evolving into a more structured and resilient sector. As the December Holiday Sale continues, we anticipate these patterns of familiarity, trust, and participation will sustain momentum, boosting both commerce and community development nationwide.”