Global logistics and package delivery company UPS will leverage Jumia’s network across Africa to grow its reach in the continent, following a new partnership announced today that gives it access to the e-commerce firm’s last-mile delivery infrastructure.
UPS customers can now pick up or drop off packages for international shipping at Jumia’s stores in Kenya, Morocco, and Nigeria. The partnership is being expanded to Ghana and the Ivory Coast, with the rest of Africa (Algeria, Senegal, Tunisia, Uganda, and South Africa) to follow.
Jumia began designing its logistics company seven years ago, owing to the fragmented nature of the logistics sector and as a strategy to expand the amount of orders placed on its e-commerce marketplace beyond cities – by allowing clients in rural areas to place orders.
After exclusively reserving it for e-commerce and food vendors operating on its platform, Jumia expanded its logistics marketplace to third parties in 2020.
“At the beginning of our journey, 10 years ago, logistics infrastructure was one of the most challenging aspects of our operating environment. This challenge was a catalyst for us to build an unparalleled logistics platform in Africa offering our sellers and consumers reliable, convenient and cost-effective delivery services,” said Apoorva Kumar, Senior Vice President Logistics, Jumia.
“Today, we are helping other businesses overcome these infrastructure challenges by giving them access to our logistics platform. We are delighted and humbled by the opportunity to partner up with UPS, a global logistics leader, to offer them last mile solutions in Africa. We view this as a validation of the strength of our logistics platform as well as an incentive to double down on our efforts to further enhance our services and build a world-class logistics business in Africa.”
Jumia uses about 600 last-mile delivery partners in its logistics marketplace, the majority of whom are small logistics firms.
The e-commerce firm runs 3,000 pickup stations across 11 African markets, all of which are supported by technology that “aggregates demand and matches it with supply capacity on the basis of several parameters like quality of service, reachability of network and cost of delivery.”