Jumia Kenya is expanding its reach beyond Nairobi as online retail demand grows across the country, putting the spotlight on a market opportunity left exposed by the collapse of Copia Global, which built its business around delivering consumer goods to underserved communities.
The e-commerce platform’s physical-goods gross merchandise value (GMV) in Kenya grew 23% year-on-year in the second quarter of 2026, while 67.6% of its active customers were based outside Nairobi, according to company data.
Copia entered administration in May 2024 after struggling to secure the funding needed to sustain its operations. The company had built a distribution model that connected consumers in smaller towns and rural communities with products ordered through local agents. A Kenyan court ordered the business into liquidation in October 2026, bringing an end to efforts to revive the retailer.
Copia’s collapse exposed the difficulty of turning demand from underserved communities into a commercially sustainable e-commerce business. Reaching customers outside major cities requires investment in distribution networks, collection points and last-mile delivery, while lower order volumes and geographically dispersed customers can increase fulfilment costs.
Jumia’s customer data suggests online retail demand remains distributed well beyond the capital. Kiambu accounted for 10.5% of active customers in the first half of 2026, followed by Mombasa at 5.9%, Nakuru at 5% and Kajiado at 4.2%, according to Jumia Kenya’s JForce data.
Kenya contributed 15% of Jumia’s physical-goods GMV across its markets in the second quarter. The company’s reported growth offers a measure of transaction activity, but GMV is not equivalent to revenue or profit.
The economics of serving customers across the country will depend on order frequency, average spending, delivery costs and the extent to which the company can fulfil orders efficiently.
Jumia has invested in physical infrastructure to complement its digital marketplace. Its 2025 rural e-commerce report said it operated more than 300 pickup stations across Kenya, with a presence in about 100 towns. These collection points provide an alternative to home delivery and can help the company serve customers beyond areas with established urban logistics networks.Whether Jumia can capture some of the demand previously served by Copia remains an open question.
“The bigger story is where Kenya’s online growth is coming from. Two in three of our active customers are now outside Nairobi, while physical-goods GMV grew 23% in the second quarter,” said Vinod Goel, managing director of Jumia East Africa. He said the company’s Black Friday campaign would give Kenyan sellers, small and medium-sized enterprises and established brands an opportunity to reach consumers at scale.
Jumia’s shopping data shows mobile accessories, smart televisions, smartphones and electric kettles are among the leading entry products for new customers. Consumers aged 18 to 44 account for 82% of its audience, according to the company, highlighting the role of younger, mobile-first shoppers in its business.
The company will launch its 2026 Black Friday campaign on October 30, featuring brands including Xiaomi, L’Oréal, Nivea, Vision Plus, Itel, Oraimo, Haier, Hisense, Lyons, Electromate, Decathlon, Safaricom and Nairobi Sports House.
The product range spans electronics, beauty, household appliances, telecommunications and sports, with the marketplace also offering livestock, including cows.
Jumia plans to extend the campaign beyond its digital channels through pickup-station activations, agents and regional radio, seeking to engage consumers across different parts of Kenya.
For the country’s e-commerce sector, the challenge is no longer simply demonstrating that consumers outside Nairobi are willing to shop online. It is building a distribution model that can serve them consistently and profitably. Copia’s collapse showed how difficult that can be; Jumia’s expanding customer base suggests the opportunity remains, but its long-term value will depend on whether growth translates into sustainable economics.
