E-Business
Konga and the $10Bn Target by 2026
By Dr. Aje Boluwatife.
The Nigerian e-Commerce sector is a much-touted lucre that has attracted a number of players.
The growing interest is buoyed by the rise in a youthful population, growing smartphone and internet penetration, the aspirational mind-set of the average Nigerian and expanding consumer power. At present, e-Commerce spending in Nigeria is on the rise. Research estimates indicate that current spend on e-Commerce is at $12 billion, with the figure expected to rise higher and even projected to reach $75 billion in revenues per annum by 2025.
Despite the allure, the reality of cracking e-Commerce in Nigeria and in Africa, by extension, remains a task far removed from the exertions of the faint-hearted.
Indeed, making a success of e-Commerce, as the experience of many players who stumbled in Africa’s biggest market has shown, demands not only deep pockets but also a huge dose of street-smartness, a keen understanding of the Nigerian market, a determination to stick to ethics and play by the rules, as well as sheer bloody-mindedness in overcoming many of the frustrating infrastructural and institutional encumbrances that have hobbled many in this industry.
Till date, the strides of Konga remain a template for many to follow.
In tracking the current laudable strides of this e-Commerce behemoth, it is imperative to recognize and appreciate the efforts of many players who have toiled but found the Nigerian e-Commerce market too high a mountain to climb. The likes of Jiji, OLX, DealDey and Efritin, among many others, have a tale or two to tell about the hard nut that e-Commerce in Nigeria represents.
Though it also has a thing or two to share about the pitfalls of playing in a difficult terrain such as Nigeria, Konga has transformed itself, under the management of its new owners – the Zinox Group – into a much sought-after entity, the beautiful bride of potential e-Commerce investors and global stock markets. Recently, Konga was reported to have fielded interest from the New York Stock Exchange as well as the London Stock Exchange over a purported listing, as interest swirled in the company from near and far. Also, feelers in the industry indicate that many are looking to buy into the business and if Konga were to list its shares today, it would probably not only get oversubscribed but also result in a unicorn valuation.
The submission of a recent panel of experts on the Konga brand is worth recalling here, with Prof. BoubaYankubah, one of the panellists, painting a picture of a thriving e-Commerce brand during the session which held in Accra, Ghana.
Prof. Yankubah was quoted as saying: ‘‘It is strange that not much has been said of how much impact Konga has had in the Nigerian, nay African e-Commerce ecosystem. But lest we forget, that is the brand that pioneered the marketplace structure in Africa which was widely replicated by other brands, not only in Africa but also by the likes of Amazon as well.
‘‘The…case of Konga as the jewel in the crown of African e-Commerce is further justified by its thriving business entities which include a licensed mobile bank, online travel agency, its omni-channel strategy, the ease with which it has resolved the thorny challenge of logistics as well as its hard-earned status as a trustworthy brand.
‘‘It is interesting that, despite the huge investment by its new owners, which from reports in the Nigerian media, are highly credible and experienced entrepreneurs, the brand is yet to follow through on rumoured intentions to list on the international stock market. If and when this happens, Konga’s valuation may exceed well over $2.5bn and we may see the emergence of a true African unicorn.
‘‘But I wish to urge the owners of Konga not to be tempted by greed and to stay true to their strategies and long-term vision for the business,’’ he had stated.
In my line of work as an analyst covering the African e-Commerce market, I have seen many promising e-Commerce start-ups flatter to deceive. Konga has stayed the course and currently enjoys the confidence of a growing number of Nigerians as the biggest player in the market.
But what is Konga doing right?
First, the management of Konga has demonstrated an extensive understanding of the market – an advantage that continues to help it navigate policy somersaults and other risks associated with the peculiar Nigerian market. This is mainly due to the experience of the current owners of Konga who are widely reported to be credible Nigerians who have been in business for over 30 successful years. Today, Konga is better equipped, more than any other e-Commerce player to take on and successfully deliver large projects or find a solution to the most difficult infrastructural challenge in Nigeria. Even if Amazon or Alibaba were to expand their operations to Nigeria, they would struggle to beat Konga and may have to settle for a partnership with them.
Two, Konga has strategically invested in building a world-class infrastructure from the ground up which has equally elevated its many offerings. In the area of technology, Konga boasts perhaps one of the most advanced technology suites in Nigeria, ranging from the multiplicity of apps driving its day-to-day operations and a reported robotics-enabled multiple warehouse deployments. Closely aligned to this is its investment in massive regional warehouses – a project that has conveniently positioned it to retain huge inventory, significantly boosted its carrying capacity, as well as its orders fulfilment capabilities.
In addition, one of the major advantages that Konga holds in its war chest is the fact that it has seemingly resolved the challenge of logistics – one of the biggest obstacles and pain-points of e-Commerce, not only in Nigeria, but in Africa, as well. Konga, I understand, has its own internally owned logistics company which, from reports in the media, has the capacity to handle deliveries to the last mile for Konga as well as for external parties. Kxpress, as the company is known, is said to have in its arsenal a growing fleet of trucks, buses, motorcycles and other vehicles which it puts to use in serving the market and navigating the traffic-challenged nooks and crannies of the major cities and hinterlands in Nigeria.
Furthermore, there is a sense that, with Konga, ethics can never be sacrificed on the altar of selfish gains. The travails of another well-known player in the industry further justifies the Konga hallmark of ethical rectitude. There is no place for cooking the books or falsifying figures to paint a deceptive picture to customers or potential investors. This is a quality that has put the business on a sound footing, especially in its dealings with all of its stakeholders.
Worth mentioning as well is the fact that Konga has remained an example of reliability and responsive customer experience. From the personal experiences of myself, professional colleagues, other industry acquaintances as well as the majority of opinions sampled, Konga stands heads and shoulders above its peers in terms of its approach to meeting the expectations of customers. There is zero tolerance for fake or substandard items on its platforms, with the company holding high its promise of making available only genuine products which it sources directly from manufacturers. Merchants who trade on its platform, by extension, also key into this tradition. Defaulters are blacklisted while issues are handled swiftly by an internal unit which has a deadline for resolutions.
Aligned with KongaPay, a Central Bank of Nigeria-licensed mobile money platform, a growing chain of brick-and-mortar stores dotting Nigeria’s landscape and accounting for the many who still wish to experience e-Commerce the traditional way; as well as a number of thriving entities under the Konga stable, there is no looking back for this powerful retail giant.
It is only a matter of time before the management of Konga caves into the huge pressure of hitting the global stock market.
The world awaits with bated breath…
Dr. Aje Boluwatife is a visiting research scholar from the United States
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Microsoft is stepping up its push to expand artificial-intelligence adoption across Africa as competition intensifies with Chinas DeepSeek for influence in one of the worlds youngest and fastest-growing digital markets.
The company plans to train 3 million Africans on its AI technologies this year through partnerships with schools, universities and other institutions, with a focus on South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria and Morocco.
The effort reflects Microsofts broader attempt to accelerate adoption of its AI ecosystem across emerging markets where developers and enterprises are increasingly experimenting with generative AI tools.
Alongside the training initiative, Microsoft is working with MTN Group (MTNOY), Africas largest telecommunications company, to distribute Microsoft 365 and its Copilot digital assistant to about 300 million subscribers.
The Elevate program is designed to expand AI literacy and reduce cost barriers that might otherwise limit adoption, according to regional leadership.
The push comes as Chinese technology firms expand their footprint across the continent, with DeepSeeks open-source models accounting for roughly 11% to 14% of chatbot use in several African markets and reaching about 20% in countries such as Ethiopia and Zimbabwe following investments tied to digital infrastructure and telecom networks.
Microsoft is also increasing its infrastructure investment in the region.
In South Africa, the company plans to invest 5.4 billion rand, or about $330 million, to expand its cloud and AI capacity by the end of next year, while it is also exploring plans for a geothermal-powered data center in Kenya.
Early corporate adoption is emerging across the continent, with South African grocer Spar Group using Copilot in ways that save more than 700 employee hours annually and Nigerias Access Holdings integrating AI into daily workflows.
Regional leadership has suggested broader AI adoption could potentially contribute up to $1.5 trillion to Africas gross domestic product by 2030 if governments and businesses continue investing in digital infrastructure and AI skills.
Kaspersky Global Research and Analysis Team (GReAT) has uncovered a new Android malware campaign in which cybercriminals distributed the BeatBanker Trojan under the guise of the Starlink application for Android.
Threat actors primarily target users from Brazil; nevertheless, Kaspersky experts don’t rule out that users from other countries may also face this threat.
The Trojan employs a Monero cryptocurrency miner and additionally installs a BTMOB remote administration tool (RAT) on the infected devices. To maintain its persistence, BeatBanker uses an uncommon mechanism involving a nearly inaudible looped audio file.
“At first we saw BeatBanker being distributed under the guise of a public services app; it installed a banking Trojan in addition to a cryptocurrency miner. However, our recent detection efforts uncovered a new campaign with another BeatBanker variant that deploys the BTMOB RAT instead of the banker module.
The attackers appear to be using a fresh lure with the Starlink app to reach more victims from different countries. Therefore, it is important for users to stay vigilant and use advanced solutions to protect their smartphones,” comments Fabio Assolini, Head of the Americas & Europe units at Kaspersky GReAT.
Initial vector of infection
Kaspersky experts believe that cybercriminals distribute a fake Starlink application containing the BeatBanker Trojan through phishing pages that mimic the Google Play Store. After execution on a compromised device, the Trojan displays a user interface that also mimics Google Play. Cybercriminals trick victims into granting installation permissions, thus allowing the download of additional hidden malicious payloads.
Crypto mining and BTMOB RAT module
When a user clicks UPDATE on the fake Google Play page, a Monero cryptocurrency miner deploys. BeatBanker monitors battery percentage and the temperature of an infected smartphone, as well as user activity after which a hidden cryptocurrency miner is started or stopped.
The Android Trojan also installs a BTMOB RAT on the compromised device. BTMOB enables full remote control and is sold as Malware-as-a-Service.
It is capable of automatic granting of permissions, hide system notifications and has mechanisms designed to capture screen lock credentials, including PINs, patterns and passwords on compromised devices. The malware also gives cybercriminals access to the front and rear cameras, GPS location monitoring and constant collection of sensitive data.
To ensure persistence and hinder uninstallation, BeatBanker maintains a fixed notification in the foreground and activates a foreground service with silent media playback. This tactic is designed to prevent the operating system from removing the malicious process.
Kaspersky’s products detect this threat as HEUR:Trojan-Dropper.AndroidOS.BeatBanker and HEUR:Trojan-Dropper.AndroidOS.Banker.*.
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