Part of Africa’s Intra-Trade Challenges Include Inadequate Payment and Supply Chain Infrastructures

Africa is a vast and diverse continent with many opportunities and challenges for e-commerce. However, one of the main barriers that hinder the growth of online shopping in Africa is the lack of reliable and affordable payment and logistics solutions.

Payment systems in Africa are often fragmented, costly, and insecure. Many African consumers do not have access to formal banking services, credit cards, or mobile money platforms. Those who do may face high fees, fraud risks, or limited interoperability with other payment methods. As a result, cash on delivery (COD) remains the dominant mode of payment for online purchases in Africa, accounting for up to 80% of transactions in some countries.

However, COD poses its own challenges for e-commerce platforms and merchants. COD increases the risk of order cancellations, returns, and theft. It also adds to the operational costs and complexity of delivering goods to customers. Moreover, COD limits the ability of e-commerce platforms to offer value-added services such as financing, insurance, or loyalty programs.

Logistics systems in Africa are also underdeveloped, inefficient, and expensive. The continent suffers from poor infrastructure, such as roads, ports, airports, and railways. It also faces regulatory hurdles, such as customs delays, tariffs, and taxes. These factors increase the time and cost of shipping goods across borders or within countries. Furthermore, logistics providers in Africa often lack the technology, data, and skills to optimize their operations and ensure quality service.

These challenges create a vicious cycle that hampers the growth of e-commerce in Africa. Without reliable and affordable payment and logistics solutions, e-commerce platforms struggle to attract and retain customers, merchants, and investors. Without a vibrant e-commerce ecosystem, payment and logistics providers lack the incentives and resources to innovate and improve their services.

To break this cycle, Africa needs a holistic approach that addresses both the demand and supply sides of payment and logistics solutions. On the demand side, e-commerce platforms need to understand the needs and preferences of their target customers and offer them convenient and secure payment options that suit their context. They also need to partner with local logistics providers that can deliver goods quickly and reliably to their customers.

Some examples of e-commerce platforms in Africa that are trying to solve the payment and logistics problem are:

Jumia: Jumia is the largest online marketplace in Africa, operating in 14 countries. Jumia offers a variety of products and services, such as electronics, fashion, groceries, food delivery, travel booking, and classifieds. Jumia has its own payment platform called JumiaPay that allows customers to pay online or offline using various methods such as mobile money, bank cards, or cash. Jumia also has its own logistics network called Jumia Logistics that leverages local partners to deliver goods to customers across urban and rural areas.

Flutterwave: Flutterwave is a fintech company that provides payment solutions for businesses and individuals in Africa and beyond. Flutterwave enables merchants to accept payments from customers using multiple channels such as bank transfers, cards, mobile money, USSD codes, QR codes, or cash. Flutterwave also integrates with global payment platforms such as PayPal, Stripe, Alipay, or M-Pesa to facilitate cross-border transactions. Flutterwave has partnered with several e-commerce platforms in Africa such as Jumia, Konga, Paystack, or Uber to provide seamless payment experiences for their customers.

Kobo360: Kobo360 is a digital logistics platform that connects cargo owners with truck drivers in Africa. Kobo360 uses technology to match supply and demand for trucking services, optimize routes and prices, track shipments in real-time, and provide insurance and financing options. Kobo360 aims to reduce the cost and time of moving goods across Africa by leveraging data and analytics to improve efficiency and transparency in the logistics sector.

On the supply side, payment and logistics providers need to invest in technology, data, and skills that can enhance their efficiency and quality. They also need to collaborate with each other and with e-commerce platforms to create integrated and interoperable solutions that can reduce costs and friction for all parties involved.

By solving the payment and logistics problem in Africa, e-commerce can unleash its full potential as a driver of economic growth, social inclusion, and innovation in the continent.