These 6 African ecommerce websites went from zero to $1 million: here’s how

Buying and selling have always been part of everyday life. In the past, trade happened in physical markets. People had to be there in person to buy or sell anything. But things have changed. You can now buy and sell from your phone or computer with the internet. This shift gave rise to ecommerce website, online shopping and selling.

Ecommerce started with a few small businesses and has become a significant industry. Today, ecommerce websites operate across Africa, Europe, Asia, and beyond, shaping how people shop and do business globally.

In this article, you’ll learn:

• What ecommerce means
• What ecommerce websites do
• How 6 ecommerce websites made over $1 million

What is ecommerce?

Ecommerce means buying and selling goods or services online. It could be ordering food from a restaurant, selling your homemade soap on a website, or buying sneakers through an app.

Simply put, if you use the internet or a digital tool to make or accept a sale, you’re doing ecommerce. It works like a regular market, but instead of meeting in person, everything happens on your phone or computer.

What is an ecommerce website? 

An ecommerce website is an online platform where businesses sell products or services to consumers/customers over the Internet. It is a digital storefront or a form of virtual marketplace- open 24/7 (depending on business policy), allowing users to browse products, add items to shopping carts, and complete the transaction online by making payment from the comfort of their computer screens. 

6 African ecommerce websites and how they raised over $1 million 

1. Jumia (jumia.com) 

Jumia is one of Africa’s top ecommerce platforms. It was founded in 2012 in Lagos, Nigeria, with a focus on selling electronics and fashion items online. The platform was originally called Kasuwa and had support from Rocket Internet, MTN Group, and Millicom. Over the years, Jumia has grown into a major online marketplace with millions of users across Africa.

Key Milestones in Jumia’s Growth

• 2012: Launched in Nigeria as an online retail store for electronics and fashion.
• 2016: Raised over $325 million from big investors including MTN Group, AXA Insurance, and Goldman Sachs. This made Jumia’s parent company worth around $1.1 billion—the first African startup to reach unicorn status.
• 2019: Listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). Raised $196 million, and its stock price peaked at $50 in the first few days.
• 2020: Exited smaller markets like Cameroon and Tanzania to focus on key markets like Nigeria and Egypt.
• 2020: Improved JumiaPay to allow payments for bills, airtime, and online shopping.
• 2024: Built new warehouses in Nigeria and Morocco to improve delivery services.
• 2025: Partnered with CredPal and EasyBuy to add Buy Now, Pay Later features to JumiaPay.

What Helped Jumia Grow

• Fast expansion: By 2016, Jumia was already in over 8 countries. By 2019, it had entered 11 African markets.
• Local focus: Started with high-demand products like electronics and fashion, then added categories like beauty and home items to meet more customer needs.
• Own logistics system: Built a delivery network that reaches both cities and remote areas.
• Cash on delivery: Helped gain customer trust by letting users pay when their orders arrived.
• Mobile-first design: Made it easy for users to shop from their phones.

Where Jumia Stands Now

• Customer base: Serves over 6 million users. Nigeria, Morocco, and Kenya are its biggest markets.
• Revenue: In Q4 2025, reported $45.7 million in revenue—a 23% drop from the previous year.
• Operational shift: Dropped non-core services like food and grocery delivery. Now focuses more on logistics and infrastructure.
• JumiaPay: Offers more financial services, including Buy Now, Pay Later.
• Active markets: Operates in 9 African countries including Nigeria, Egypt, and Morocco. Exited less profitable ones like Tunisia and South Africa.
  

2. Takealot (takealot.com)

Takealot is South Africa’s biggest online shopping website. It started operations in 2011 and is based in Cape Town. The company was founded by Kim Reid and Willem Van Biljon after taking over an existing business called Take2 in 2010. Today, Takealot sells a wide range of items, including books, electronics, clothes, and household goods.

Key Milestones in Takealot’s Growth

• In 2014, Takealot got a $100 million investment from Tiger Global Management.
• It acquired Mr Delivery and launched a food delivery app called Mr D Food.
• That same year, it also bought Superbalist, a fashion and design store.
• In 2015, Takealot merged with Kalahari. All Kalahari customers were moved to Takealot.
• Naspers invested a total of $251 million between 2015 and 2017. By the end of 2017, Naspers owned 96% of the company.
• In 2019, Takealot opened 25 pickup stations in places like Midrand, Alberton, and Centurion to improve delivery and customer experience.
• In 2024, the company launched the Township Economy Initiative. The goal is to create 20,000 jobs by 2028 by:
  • Hiring 5,000 personal shoppers
  • Training 2,000 delivery drivers
  • Supporting local manufacturers with marketing tools and delivery services

How Takealot Grew

• Smart Mergers and Acquisitions: Buying Mr D Food and Superbalist and merging with Kalahari helped Takealot reach more people and sell a wider range of products.
• Personalized Shopping: By tracking what you browse and buy, Takealot recommends products that match your interests.
• Personal Shopper Program: This helps people in rural areas or those who aren’t used to online shopping. By the end of 2024, 2,500 personal shoppers had been hired.
• Tech Investment: In 2024, Takealot spent $1 million on 54 robots in Johannesburg to help sort large items faster.
• Faster Delivery: The company built “dark stores” to speed up deliveries.

Where Takealot Is Today

1. In March 2025, Takealot partnered with South African ad agency Joe Public to grow its brand through strong ad campaigns.
2. The company also expanded its express delivery service, TakealotNOW, to more parts of Cape Town.
3. As of March 2024, Takealot reported a trading loss of $14 million. This was due to tough market conditions and growing competition from Amazon and Shein.
4. Despite this, Google Search Trends from April 2024 to April 2025 show that Takealot is still one of the top online shopping platforms in South Africa.

3. Konga  (konga.com) 

Konga is one of Nigeria’s top ecommerce website. It started in July 2012 in Lagos. Sim Shagaya founded the company to make online shopping easier for Nigerians.

At first, Konga sold baby products, beauty items, and personal care. Over time, it expanded to include electronics, fashion, books, home appliances, and more. It also moved from just selling its own products to allowing other vendors to sell on the platform.

Key Growth Milestones

• 2013: Konga launched Konga Mall, which became Konga Marketplace in 2014. This allowed sellers to list and sell their products directly on the site. By the end of 2014, the platform had over 8,000 merchants.
• 2013–2014: Konga raised a total of $75 million in funding from top investors like Investment AB, Kinnevik, and Naspers. This made it one of the best-funded ecommerce companies in Africa at the time.
• 2015: To fix payment problems, Konga launched KongaPay in partnership with Nigerian banks. This secure payment system helped build trust with users and reduced failed transactions.
• 2015: Konga also created Konga Express, a logistics system with its own delivery vehicles, warehouses, and tracking tools. This improved delivery time and gave Konga more control over the shopping experience.
• 2018: Zinox Group bought Konga and merged it with Yudala, a retail chain with physical stores. This move created Nigeria’s first omnichannel ecommerce platform, combining online and offline shopping.
• 2019: Konga’s revenue grew by 800%. It also launched new services like:
  • Konga Travel for bookings
  • Konga Food for food delivery
  • KOS Express for logistics services

What Helped Konga Grow

• Secure Payments: KongaPay gave shoppers a safe and easy way to pay, which boosted trust and sales.
• In-house Logistics: Konga built its own delivery system, later called KOS Express. This improved delivery speed and reliability.
• Diversification: Konga expanded into other services, including travel, food, payments, and logistics. These services worked together to keep customers engaged and increased the company’s income streams.
• Leadership: After the Zinox acquisition, leaders like the late Nick Imudia and Ekeh Valentine helped restructure the business. Their decisions helped the company scale efficiently despite local challenges.

Where They Are Now

• As of 2025, Konga is one of the top two ecommerce companies in Nigeria.
• The company offers services in retail, fintech, logistics, travel, and health.
• Konga plans to hire 1 million people—500,000 in Nigeria and 500,000 across other African countries. Expansion plans into Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire have already begun.
• The company is also working on an Initial Public Offering (IPO) on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, expected in 2027. If completed, Konga would become the first Nigerian-owned ecommerce company to go public.

4. Yuppiechef (yuppiechef.com)

Founded in 2006 by Andrew Smith and Shane Dryden in Cape Town, Yuppiechef is a South African ecommerce platform specializing in premium kitchen and homeware products. What started as a small operation with orders packed from Smith’s lounge has grown into one of South Africa’s leading ecommerce website, offering over 8,500 products.

In addition to its strong online presence, Yuppiechef expanded to physical retail with stores in major cities like Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Pretoria.

Key Growth Milestones

• 2006: Yuppiechef was founded with a focus on premium kitchen and home products. The company started small but quickly gained a loyal following.
• 2013–2016: The company grew in popularity by focusing on effective logistics, improving infrastructure, and offering a curated catalog of homeware, gift items, and lifestyle products. This helped them target affluent consumers and maintain strong margins.
• 2017: Yuppiechef opened physical stores in Cape Town and Johannesburg, marking a shift to an omnichannel retail model. This expansion helped the company reach new customer groups and strengthen its brand.
• 2021: Yuppiechef was acquired for $30 million by Mr Price Group, a leading South African retail giant. The acquisition allowed the company to grow its digital and physical presence while maintaining its independent operation under Mr Price’s umbrella.

What Helped Yuppiechef Grow

• Customer Experience: Yuppiechef focused on offering a memorable shopping experience. Simple gestures like handwritten thank-you notes, attractive packaging, and reliable delivery created a loyal customer base and encouraged referrals.
• Quality Over Quantity: Unlike other ecommerce website that target all consumers, Yuppiechef focused on high-end products for affluent customers. This strategy helped them maintain premium pricing and strong profit margins.
• Physical Stores: Opening stores in key cities like Cape Town and Johannesburg gave the brand more visibility and allowed customers to see and touch products before buying.
• Post-Acquisition Growth: After being acquired by Mr Price in 2021, Yuppiechef gained access to better logistics systems, customer data, and marketing tools. This allowed the company to scale quickly while maintaining its brand identity.

Where Are They Now?

• 2024: Yuppiechef achieved double-digit sales growth in the first half of the year. The company continues to expand in the South African market and remains a key player in both ecommerce and physical retail.
• Future Growth: While financial data for 2025 isn’t public, the company’s consistent growth shows a positive outlook. Yuppiechef continues to strengthen its position by combining its online and offline presence, enhancing brand recognition across South Africa.

5. Kilimall (kilimall.co.ke)

Founded in 2014 by Yang Tao, a former Huawei engineer, Kilimall is a popular ecommerce website in Kenya. The company offers a wide range of products, including electronics, home appliances, beauty items, and fashion. Kilimall stands out by offering affordable products with a focus on convenience, making it a preferred choice for shoppers in East Africa.

Key Growth Milestones

• 2016: Kilimall expanded into Uganda and Nigeria, becoming a key player in both East and West Africa’s ecommerce markets.
• 2017: The company shifted from a pay-on-delivery model to a pre-payment system, which improved service delivery and built trust with customers. Kilimall also launched a quality assurance campaign to ensure customer satisfaction.
• 2017 (September): Kilimall secured $10 million in Series A funding, led by Ants Capital, a Chinese venture capital firm. This funding helped the company scale its operations and improve its tech infrastructure.
• 2019: Kilimall moved its headquarters from Nairobi to Changsha, China, to better coordinate with Chinese manufacturers and suppliers.
• 2021: Kilimall partnered with Huawei Cloud to improve the user experience and operational efficiency.
• 2023: Kilimall became one of the most popular ecommerce website in Africa, offering over one million products and supporting more than 8,000 Sino-African businesses.

What Helped Kilimall Grow

• China-Africa Model: Kilimall’s founder, Yang Tao, established strong connections with Chinese manufacturers, enabling the company to offer a wide range of affordable products to African consumers. This model helped Kilimall stand out by offering competitive prices.
• Local Payment Systems: Kilimall embraced local payment methods, like M-Pesa in Kenya, which built trust with customers and made online shopping more accessible.
• Targeted Advertising Campaigns: Kilimall invested in local advertising campaigns, including Black Friday sales, referral programs, and flash sales. These campaigns attracted large numbers of shoppers, driving sales growth. In 2024, the company reported a 300% increase in Black Friday sales, demonstrating the success of its marketing efforts.

Where Are They Now?

• Kenya: Kilimall’s primary market is still Kenya, where it competes closely with Jumia. The company has tailored its operations to match local needs, focusing on logistics, customer service, and pricing.
• Nigeria and Uganda: Kilimall still operates in Nigeria but exited the Ugandan market in 2018.
• Financial Status: Kilimall has not publicly disclosed its financial position since its last funding round in 2017. However, it is rumored to be privately owned, with a valuation of over $100 million.
  

6. Copia Global (copiaglobal.com)

Founded in 2013 in Kenya, Copia Global is an ecommerce website aimed at serving low- and middle-income consumers in rural and peri-urban areas. The company focuses on fast-moving consumer goods (FMCGs) such as household items, electronics, building materials, personal care products, and food staples.

Copia uses an agent-based delivery model, with over 30,000 local agents in small kiosks and shops acting as ordering and pickup points. This allows customers without internet access or delivery addresses to shop online easily.

Key Growth Milestones

• 2013-2018: Copia expanded beyond Nairobi into rural and peri-urban areas. This growth led to a larger workforce and more agents, with the company handling over 1 million orders by 2018.
• 2019: Copia raised $2 million in Series A funding from Goodwell Investment. Later that year, it secured an additional $26 million in Series B funding from LGT Lighthouse and other investors.
• 2021: Copia raised $50 million in Series C funding, bringing its total funding to over $80 million. This made the company one of Africa’s best-funded ecommerce website focused on non-urban populations.
• 2022: Copia expanded into Uganda, aiming to replicate its agent-based model in East Africa. However, in 2023, due to economic challenges, the company paused its expansion in Uganda to focus on strengthening its Kenyan operations.
• 2024: Copia reached over 1 million active customers, processing thousands of deliveries daily through its network of agents and employees.

What Contributed to Copia’s Growth?

• Agent-Based Delivery System: Unlike traditional ecommerce companies that offer home delivery, Copia’s 30,000 local agents handle order placement and pickup. This system helped overcome delivery and logistics challenges in rural areas, earning the trust of local communities.
• Low-Budget Mobile Compatibility: Copia designed its platform to work on low-budget phones and low-bandwidth internet connections, making it accessible to more people in rural communities.
• Curated Product Selection: Instead of offering a vast product catalog, Copia focuses on high-demand items like solar products, soaps, cement, and food staples. This strategy meets the needs of its target market.
• Strategic Partnerships: Copia formed partnerships with FMCG brands and local manufacturers, allowing it to offer competitive pricing and exclusive products tailored to its customers’ needs.

Where Is Copia Now?

• 2024: Copia underwent leadership changes and staff layoffs to maintain profitability and sustainability.
• Future Plans: Copia is in talks with impact investors and potential strategic partners to secure bridge financing and explore acquisition opportunities. The company has not raised new large funding since 2021 and is focused on retaining its leadership position in rural ecommerce.