African e-commerce platform Jiji, is making its first foray exterior the continent. The corporate will launch in Bangladesh, drawn to its rising center class and elevated cell connectivity. The transfer indicators the corporate’s ambition to faucet into high-growth rising markets past Africa. Bangladesh’s e-commerce sector is projected to achieve $13 billion by 2027, in keeping with Funds and Commerce Market Intelligence (PCMI).
Jiji, which at the moment operates in seven African international locations—Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, and Senegal—sees Bangladesh as a pure subsequent step. With 131 million web customers and a rising urge for food for digital buying, the South Asian nation provides the corporate an opportunity to develop its present 12 million month-to-month lively customers.
“With a strong monetary basis and a scalable enterprise mannequin, we have now grown right into a worthwhile chief in Africa’s e-commerce area,” a Jiji spokesperson stated in an e mail to TechCabal. “Our success in Africa has proven us find out how to navigate fast-growing markets, and we consider Bangladesh has the identical potential for Jiji to thrive, serving to to develop the e-commerce sector.”
Bangladesh is an rising participant within the Asia-Pacific e-commerce market because of authorities insurance policies focused at driving e-commerce development. Considered one of such insurance policies is the Info and Communication Expertise (ICT) Act of 2006 which gives the authorized framework for on-line transactions and addresses cybersecurity issues. The federal government additionally formulated nationwide ICT insurance policies to information the event of the digital economic system, together with e-commerce.
These initiatives, coupled with a rising center class, have created fertile floor for e-commerce enlargement. In 2024, 79% of Bangladeshi customers shopped on-line, and 47% expressed consolation making funds on digital platforms, in keeping with a PCMI survey.
Jiji’s entry into Bangladesh will put it in direct competitors with established gamers resembling Daraz, Bikroy, and Ajkerdeal, which have robust model recognition and shopper belief. To duplicate its African success, Jiji might want to differentiate itself by means of localized choices and strategic partnerships.
Based in 2014, Jiji initially broke into Nigeria’s aggressive e-commerce market by providing free listings for first-time customers and partnering with cellphone producers to preload its app on reasonably priced smartphones. The corporate additionally struck a 2016 cope with Airtel to offer data-free entry to its platform.
It raised $21 million in 2019 and bought OLX Africa, taking on its operations in Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Uganda, and Tanzania. This transfer helped Jiji attain 300 million individuals throughout 5 international locations. In 2021, Jiji acquired Cars45, a platform that buys, sells, and trades used automobiles in Nigeria, Kenya, and Ghana. The next 12 months, the corporate acquired Tonaton, its fundamental competitor in Ghana.
Jiji’s playbook labored in Africa. The corporate hopes to copy the success in Asia.