Rural Kenya has overtaken major cities as the main engine of online shopping growth, according to a new report released by Jumia Kenya. The report titled E commerce in Rural Kenya: Expanding Access, Driving Inclusion, Connecting Border to Border shows that rural shoppers now account for 60 percent of all orders placed on the platform. This marks a major shift from the early years of digital retail when e commerce was mainly centered on Nairobi and a few large towns.
Jumia says the shift is being powered by better connectivity, lower cost smartphones, simplified delivery networks and a fast growing human support model that helps first time customers navigate online shopping. More than 50 thousand people now earn part or all of their income through the platform. This includes JForce agents, vendors, pickup station operators and delivery riders.
Jumia’s Regional CEO for East Africa, Vinod Goel, said the rural surge represents a historic change in consumer behavior. He noted that more households in small towns and rural counties are becoming comfortable with online shopping, especially for essential goods and higher value electronics.
The report points to rapid expansion of Jumia’s logistics footprint across the country. Jumia now operates more than 300 pickup stations serving over 100 towns across all 47 counties. Delivery for rural shoppers has dropped to between two and four days on average which has opened up new possibilities for buying appliances, televisions, phones and home essentials.
A key part of this transformation is the JForce programme which acts as a human bridge for customers who are new to e commerce. Jumia has more than 26 thousand active JForce agents across Kenya with many based in rural or underserved areas. The average agent is 27 years old, showing how the programme has become a youth driven channel for income generation and digital training. Although men make up 70 percent of the network, the number of women joining JForce continues to rise.
JForce agents introduce customers to online shopping and help them place orders where digital literacy or internet access is limited. They also run awareness campaigns, train new shoppers and in most cases manage bulk orders for entire communities.
Peter Wachira, a JForce agent in Machakos, said the commissions have helped him support his family and build skills in digital marketing. He added that electronics and laptops are particularly popular among students in his area. In Vihiga, agent Diana Parsalach said the programme has helped her earn extra income while making it easier for her community to access deals on phones, fashion and home appliances.
Jumia is also scaling its physical presence through Order Points which combine offline convenience with online access. The company has deployed more than 2,700 Order Points with a target of 8,000 by 2026. These kiosks and partner shops are very important in areas where smartphone penetration is still rising but digital literacy is still uneven.
Jumia says the next phase of growth will depend on policies that make it easier for SMEs to operate online while protecting consumers. The company has also raised concerns that the proposed Withholding Tax on marketplace transactions may end up pushing small sellers back into informal channels. This will in the end slow down digital adoption.
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