Telecom
The Online Retail Explosion Represents a Massive Opportunity for Advertisers
By Tintin Imevbore, Regional West Africa Manager, Ad Dynamo by Aleph
Over the past few years, spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated lockdowns, online retail has witnessed an African explosion. Faced with stay-at-home orders, many people started shopping online for the first time, while experienced shoppers increased their purchases. Those behaviours have largely stuck too.
Tintin Imevbore
Take Nigeria, for example. In 2021, its e-commerce market grew by 30%,and in the years leading up to 2027, e-commerce revenues are expected to grow 11.31% annually. By that point, the sector (currently worth US$7.63 billion) is expected to be worth US$11.71 billion.
It’s clear then that anyone interested in growing their retail presence should have some form of e-commerce offering (even if it’s just having a presence on a third-party marketplace). But growth in the sector doesn’t just hold promise for anyone selling products or services online. It also represents a significant opportunity for digital advertisers.
Be where your customers are
One of the biggest benefits that online retail offers advertisers is visibility. A large platform like Jumia, for example, can see more than 10 million unique visitors a day. That’s a lot of people. Beyond sheer volume though, they’re also people who are looking to spend money. Even if they’re just browsing today, chances are they’re on those sites looking to buy something at some point.
It’s also worth pointing out that people browsing online stores spend much more time on them than on other websites. On average, people spend between 45 and 54 seconds on a website. By contrast, people can spend more than seven minutes at a time on the world’s biggest e-commerce sites.
That means that if you’re advertising on the right e-commerce platforms, your product or service will be seen by a large number of people, and those people will also be exposed to it in a setting where they are not restricted to time since online shopping is usually a leisure-based activity, meaning that people are going to do it after work hours or on the weekend. The fact that most big online retailers break their sites up into sections also makes it easier for potential customers to see advertising that’s most relevant to them.
Given that one of the key tenets of online advertising is reaching the right people with the right message at the right time, there’s clearly a strong case to be made for advertising on e-commerce stores then.
Partner with experts
It is worth noting, of course, that advertising isn’t the primary revenue source for any e-commerce platform (although Jumia’s advertising offering recently overtook fulfilment as a revenue source). That means they’re less likely to have the same seamless, plug-and-play advertising solutions that many of the biggest social media platforms have.
As a result, it’s even more critical to work with media representation partners who can ensure your product or service is seen as much as possible by your target audience. The right media representation partner should also offer transparent pricing and be able to help with brand strategy.
They will also ensure that any advertising you do on an e-commerce platform is tailored to that specific platform while complementing your advertising efforts on other channels. You don’t have to be a major advertiser to enjoy those benefits either. A good partner will work with the rates you can afford and grow with you as you expand.
Embrace consumer shifts
Ultimately, if businesses are to be successful, they need to understand and embrace shifts in consumer behaviour. And there are few shifts as significant and as fast as the move to online shopping since the pandemic. It’s also crucial for businesses to follow those shifts holistically.
This means not just having an online retail presence but also utilising online retailers as advertising platforms. Finally, it’s critical for businesses to realise they don’t have to take that journey alone and can potentially see much greater degrees of success by engaging with the right partners.
Google has launched its Search Live feature globally to over 200 countries, including Nigeria, where AI Mode is available, enabling voice-and-camera conversations in users’ preferred languages.
Powered by the new multilingual Gemini 3.1 Flash Live model, it delivers natural, real-time interactions via the Google app on Android or iOS—tap the Live icon under the Search bar.
Ideal for hands-free help, users can speak queries for audio replies, follow-ups, or web links. Camera integration adds visual context, like troubleshooting a shelving unit, or pairs with Google Lens for real-world chats.
From the app or Lens, Nigerians can now explore, learn, or solve tasks instantly, boosting everyday productivity worldwide.
Clean and reliable power for telecom networks in Ethiopia, Liberia, and Sierra Leone will be expanded following a $45 million investment by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) in IPT PowerTech.
The investment targets countries where limited power supply continues to slow digital connectivity and broader economic participation, the institution stated earlier this week.
To enable this expansion, the IFC is providing a $45 million corporate financing package consisting of an A-loan of $27 million and $18 million in blended finance.
The blended portion is sourced from the Canada-IFC Blended Climate Finance Programme and the IDA20 Private Sector Window Blended Finance Facility.
The initiative marks the IFC’s first direct infrastructure engagement in Liberia in a decade and in Sierra Leone in six years.
It will help scale solar- and battery-based power systems that reduce reliance on diesel and support greener, more resilient telecom networks.
By improving the quality and stability of power to telecom towers, the initiative will strengthen mobile coverage and ensure that households, schools, health centres, and small businesses can depend on consistent digital services, said the IFC.
The funding supports the modernisation, operation, and maintenance of 2 235 telecom sites across the three nations. More than 90% of these are located in off-grid or weak-grid locations.
With new solar and battery systems powering these sites, mobile networks will experience fewer outages and improved service quality.
Optimising the energy mix is estimated to reduce power costs for operators by up to 30% in Liberia, 26% in Sierra Leone, and 52% in Ethiopia.
This transition is also expected to cut emissions by more than 10 624 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually. Furthermore, the partnership will promote gender inclusion by expanding opportunities for women in technical, operational, and leadership roles within the sector, says the IFC.
This agreement reflects a shared vision for a greener telecom industry and empowers the company to scale its innovative energy platforms, according to Nabil Haddad, CEO of IPT PowerTech Group.
Reliable and affordable power for telecom networks is a cornerstone of Africa’s digital transformation, said Nathalie Kouassi-Akon, IFC regional director for West Africa and the Gulf of Guinea.
Through this partnership, the institution is supporting a scalable, private sector-led solution that enables mobile operators to reach underserved and fragile communities more sustainably, added Kouassi-Akon.
The project advances the World Bank Group and African Development Bank’s Mission 300 initiative, which aims to provide electricity to 300 million Africans by 2030.
Expedier has unveiled “Expedier for Business,” an online pro-banking platform to simplify global payments, multi-currency transactions, and financial operations for expanding companies.
Kingsley Madu
The tool centralizes payments, invoicing, payroll, and treasury into one secure dashboard, tackling challenges like fragmented systems and poor visibility that hinder international scaling.
Kingsley Madu, Co-Founder and CEO of Expedier, said: “African businesses are increasingly global… Expedier for Business was built to simplify how companies manage money across borders while maintaining visibility, control, and compliance.”
Key features include customizable dashboards for payments, invoices, and workflows; support for USD, CAD, GBP, EUR, and more; virtual cards; automated payroll/invoicing; currency swaps; and real-time tracking.
Security measures cover two-factor authentication, KYC/KYB verification, and team access controls.
As cross-border trade and remote work boom in Africa, the platform aids firms dealing with international suppliers, teams, and customers. It is now available for organizations scaling globally.
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