Tech in Africa
Jumia and Airtel Kenya have teamed up in a partnership that will ease the use of online payment transactions through Airtel Money. Africa’s largest e-commerce giant has been strategically repositioning itself as it races towards profitability.
In March, Jumia announced a new initiative that will see it’s deliveries accept contactless payment. The new partnership with Airtel adds to that effort. Customers now have the option of making pre-payments on their purchases or avoiding directly changing cash through Airtel Money.
In statements captured by IT News Africa, Jumia’s Head of Financial Services Nelly Movine said, “Millions of Kenyans rely on mobile money daily to make fast payments. By expanding our payment options to include Airtel money, it will make it easier for more consumers to incorporate online shopping as part of their daily transactions.”
Prasanta Das Sarma, the MD of Airtel Kenya, said, “This partnership will allow Airtel customers to shop conveniently online by using their Airtel Money wallet from wherever at whatever time using their data-enabled devices.”
Jumia is currently present in 6 African markets; Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Egypt, Kenya, Morocco, and Ghana. Last year, the company exited Tanzania, Cameroon, and Rwanda narrowing its focus to markets with high long-term growth potential for growth.
Kenya now joins the Ghana and Uganda markets that had already signed up for this payment option. The new development has seen a steady rise in Airtel money’s uptake too.
