E-Business
Konga as e-Commerce Global Game-Changer
By Ray Umukoro
When global economy pundits describe Africa as the next frontier, they are merely reacting to strong stimulus coming from the continent, especially in the areas of improving agro-economy, commerce, internet penetration and increasing capacity to harness the abundance of raw materials within the continent.
Among these stimuli is e-commerce.
Africa is witnessing quantum leap in internet penetration and increased deployment of internet-enabled handheld mobile devices. This is the fuel driving up e-commerce on the continent once considered a clear outsider in the tech-driven e-commerce ecosystem.
At the cusp of the growing e-commerce market in Africa is Konga, trading under the name konga.com. Since its acquisition in 2018 by Zinox Group, in one of the most discretely executed corporate ‘coups’ and seamless acquisitions on the continent, Konga has continued to beat the odds and confound book-makers.
Within the first two years after its acquisition, Konga had re-invented itself, growing its turnover by over 800 percent, cut inherited serial losses and re-focused its corporate values by being more customer-centric, while deploying superior technology to achieve more. Leveraging light-years-ahead technology, Konga has been able to run lean and mean, delivering last mile in real time ahead of the competition and offering a new threshold of value-for-money in a manner never before witnessed in Nigerian e-commerce bourse.
E-commerce business all over the world comes bundled with several complications. It’s expensive usually with initial huge losses. It’s technology-demanding and requires conscious long-term investment and patience. To ride the tide, operators must work round these treacherous complexities which include heavy investment in back-end technology, innovativeness to adapt to fast-changing consumer tastes and technical paradigm shifts. All of these would require seamless and steady retooling of strategies.
In Africa, e-Commerce is largely the playground of the youths. A huge chunk of the patronage comes from the youths, the nouveau riche, the upwardly mobile, dashing generation of purpose-driven, career-minded men and women who have little time to spare on making physical, in-shop purchases. Konga appeals to this group because its leadership is driven by young men and women who understand the tapestries and nuances of multi-tasking and time-management in the modern era.
Konga’s ownership is truly Africa. This gives it a head-start in the continent’s e-Commerce space. It has been able to combine indigenous manpower with a network of quality foreign technical service providers. An e-Commerce house is as good as its back-end. Top e-Commerce outposts in the world who have remained at the cutting edge of competition despite the inevitable turbulence share a common denominator.
They are the ones that spend big on infrastructure. Back-end infrastructure and manpower capacity drive the process. Konga understands this and has spared nothing in upscaling its infrastructure and upskilling its staff to global standard. Within the first two years of its acquisition, the investors quietly and deliberately built top-notch nationwide facilities and restructured the firm’s technologies to fit into the new vision and ambition of emerging as a global brand.
On May 1, 2018, barely three months after its acquisition, Zinox merged Konga.com with its omni-channel retail outfit, Yudala. The product of that mega-merger was a swifter, bigger company which retained the brand name, Konga. This was how arguably the biggest e-Commerce and retail company in Africa was born. But beyond that, Konga has continued to astound market watchers with its innovativeness in payment services, delivery to last mile and a steady decline in inherited market churn.
Statistics clearly show that soon after the acquisition, Konga customer churn dropped considerably. Customer churn is the rate at which customers stop doing business with an organisation. It’s the percentage of subscribers who discontinue their subscriptions to a service within a given period.
In the e-Commerce market, customer churn has been a big issue as some customers after experiencing unsavoury transaction with an e-Commerce house, not only discontinue patronage but enlist to share their ugly experience with friends and people in their network (professionals, business associates and partners etc.) and, in the process win them over to also discontinue patronage of that organisation. This has been one of the downsides of some e-Commerce companies: their inability to retain existing customers, let alone grow their customer base.
A couple of factors are responsible for this. Lack of customer satisfaction, late and untimely delivery of goods to clients, foisting substandard products on customers and poor customer care service are among the reasons for customer-hesitancy and eventual withdrawal of patronage.
This is at the root of the poor marketplace performance of many e-Commerce outposts. The new owners of Konga have overcome these drawbacks, using high-end technologies, leveraging on their affiliations with global original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and clear understanding of the Nigerian environment.
A handy advantage of the new Konga is the combination of the online e-commerce strength of Konga.com and the nationwide branch network of Yudala. This has helped them to deliver a truly omni-channel retail for the first time in Africa.
The heavy behind-the-scene investment in infrastructure within the first 18 months of acquisition coupled with the reliance on physical Experience Centres (neighbourhood well-stocked physical Konga stores) largely ignited the fire of sustainability and profitability. This explains the miracle of Konga breaking even barely three years after the acquisition.
A combination of these factors plus the company’s ability to disrupt the market form the basis for the new push by Konga to list at the London Stock Exchange (LSE). Analysts believe that with its strong showing in Africa, Konga listing on the LSE would raise the bar for African investors hunting fortunes in the global market. It’s considered the game-changer for African investors.
Konga, as an African brand, has shown capacity to adapt, innovate and create value for both customers and investors. Going global will only help its team of young outliers rack up return on investment as well as improve the continent’s business profile on the global investment index.
Data from Statista, a renowned statistics portal, reported that the total value of e-Commerce in Africa grossed $16.5 billion in 2017 and is expected to hit $29 billion by 2022. It’s no surprise that Konga has become the fastest-growing e-Commerce house in Africa.
This further underscores the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) e-Commerce Index Report 2018 which placed Nigeria, South Africa and Kenya as accounting for more than half of the online shoppers in Africa.
Nigeria is reputed as Africa’s largest business to consumer e-commerce market in terms of both number of shoppers and revenue and Konga is at the core of this market volume. This is what it’s taking to the global market: an ingrained ability to re-invent itself at all times, innovate through the contours of competition and grow its customer base. When tomorrow comes and Konga, the e-commerce heartbeat of Africa, lists at the LSE, Africa would have made a bold statement: We are not the continent ruined, we are the continent ready to roll.
Author: Ray Umukoro, pan-Africa ICT blogger, writes from Lagos
An artificial intelligence (AI) application has been developed to help combat the spread of fake news, misinformation and political propaganda as political activities gradually build toward the 2027 general elections in Nigeria.
The app, known as BAT-BOT AI, was unveiled in Abuja by Mr. Gunu Usman, its founder, who said the platform is designed to assist the federal government in addressing the growing challenge of false information within nation’s digital space.
Mr Usman explained that the new platform was created to ensure that factual information circulates faster than falsehood.
He noted that the rapid spread of misinformation, disinformation, hate speech and manipulated narratives targeting the administration of Bola Tinubu, the ruling All Progressives Congress, and national institutions poses risks to democratic stability and public trust.
According to Mr. Usman, BAT-BOT AI was developed to support public access to verified information while countering misleading narratives online.
The Technology expert described the system as a sovereign AI-powered civic information and fact-verification platform designed to strengthen Nigeria’s digital information ecosystem ahead of the 2027 general election.
He added that the initiative aligns with the government’s policy direction under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu, which seeks to promote transparency and encourage informed civic participation.
The founder further explained that the platform is currently accessible to Nigerians through multiple digital channels, enabling users to verify claims, seek clarification on government policies and obtain information on national development initiatives.
Mr. Usman expressed optimism that the tool would help curb the spread of false information and contribute to a more credible digital environment as the country prepares for the next electoral cycle.
Over the past four years, gold has risen by more than 400%. The precious metal has long been one of the most traded assets in global financial markets. From its role as a traditional store of value to its sensitivity to inflation, interest rates, and geopolitical uncertainty, gold continues to attract traders seeking efficient and predictable trading opportunities during a period of global uncertainty and high volatility.
JustMarkets
For traders looking to effectively access gold markets, choosing the right trading environment is as important as timing their entry. One of the most popular and effective gold trading platforms is JustMarkets, offering the tools, conditions, and infrastructure to enable traders to achieve their most ambitious gold trading goals.
Tight Spreads on XAU/USD
Cost efficiency is a critical factor in gold trading, especially for active day traders. JustMarkets offers extremely competitive XAU/USD spreads, allowing traders to open and close positions with reduced transaction costs. Lower spreads can significantly impact short-term strategies, where precision and timing are key to effectively entering a trade. By minimizing trading costs, JustMarkets helps traders focus more on market analysis and finding the ideal entry point, and less on overhead.
Fast and Reliable Execution
Gold is recognized for its volatility, especially during the day, especially with economic announcements or geopolitical events. Speed is of the essence in volatile markets. JustMarkets provides high-speed execution of orders, which helps minimize the risks of delays, especially during periods of high volatility. This ensures that traders are able to respond better to market conditions, thereby having better control over trade management.
Flexible Trading Conditions
Each trader has their own approach to gold, ranging from intraday trading to position trading. JustMarkets offers flexible leverage and account types, enabling traders to adjust their exposure based on their risk tolerance and trading style. This flexibility is suitable for both conservative and aggressive traders while still allowing them to access the same global gold market.
Advanced Platforms and Tools
Successful gold trading is based on thorough technical and fundamental analysis. JustMarkets provides access to industry-standard trading platforms equipped with advanced charting tools, multiple timeframes, and a wide range of indicators for recognizing divergences and clear entry points. These features help traders analyze price trends, identify key levels, and plan their trades with greater confidence.
Accessibility via mobile devices and computers via the JustMarkets Mobile Trading app also ensures traders can monitor positions and market movements from anywhere and at any time.
Education and Market Support
Gold is also affected by factors such as inflation rates, central bank policies, and currency fluctuations. Understanding these factors is important for developing a structured trading strategy.
JustMarkets offers resources for traders, which provide information on how global events can impact the price of gold like case studies, daily, bank and weekly analysis. This is a knowledge-based system, which enables the trader to make more informed decisions rather than relying on the price movements of gold.
Trading Activities That Keep Gold Traders Engaged
In addition to the competitive trading environment, JustMarkets also runs various special activities and campaigns that aim to make the trading experience more interesting. At certain intervals, the special activities may include trading contests on specific trading instruments, such as gold, which are highly sought after by traders. This will give the traders an added impetus to keep trading.
The special activities are designed to encourage trading, consistency, and skill-building among the traders, along with the additional motivation for the trading strategies. This is also in line with the overall philosophy of JustMarkets to create a dynamic trading environment where trading, learning, and motivation are linked together.
A Trading Environment Built for Gold Traders
Gold is still one of the most dynamic markets with the greatest number of opportunities in the world. With tight spreads on XAU/USD, fast execution, flexible trading terms, and access to advanced analytical tools, JustMarkets creates an optimal trading environment for those who want to trade gold efficiently.
In addition to the comprehensive educational assistance, JustMarkets continues to position itself as a strong competitor for traders who are looking for professional trading conditions combined with growth opportunities.
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.
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