Jumia, a leading e-commerce platform in Nigeria, today officially inaugurated its new integrated warehouse and logistics network facility in Lagos.
In his welcome address, Jumia Nigeria CEO Sunil Natraj thanked various partners, suppliers, advertisers, and most importantly, the people of Nigeria for their support and confidence in Jumia. He highlighted Nigeria’s prospects and called it Jumia’s “home” and “master bedroom.”
Natraj explained that Jumia’s investments focus on supply chain to make it faster, more nimble, and proactive. The new warehouse, spanning over 30,000 square meters with 17,000 square meters of covered storage in Isolo, Lagos, will enable Jumia to scale up operations and attend to every Nigerian with a wider choice of affordable products nationwide.
“The launch of our integrated warehouse marks a key moment for Jumia Nigeria. By consolidating our operations under one roof, we are not only streamlining our fulfilment processes but also laying the groundwork for significant improvements in efficiency, scalability, and cost reduction. This will allow us to offer a wider product variety and, most importantly, deliver them to our consumers faster than ever before,” said Sunil Natraj, CEO of Jumia Nigeria.
Representing the Lagos State Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, the Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Mrs Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, commended Jumia’s journey and impact on Nigeria’s e-commerce industry, reiterating Lagos’ zeal to supporting businesses and growth.
“Jumia’s journey in Nigeria has been nothing short of extraordinary. From simple beginnings, it has grown into a leading e-commerce company revolutionizing the way we shop and do business. This new warehouse with its cutting-edge technology and vast capacity will significantly enhance Jumia’s ability to serve its customers efficiently.
Meeting the ever-growing demands of the e-commerce sector, it is a bold economic step forward in ensuring that goods can be delivered faster, more reliably and at a lower cost. We are proud to support initiatives such as these that drive economic growth and provide employment opportunities for our people. This warehouse will create numerous jobs and provide skill development opportunities, further strengthening our local workforce.”
During the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Natraj reiterated Jumia’s mission to provide Nigerians with affordable, original products with no hidden charges. He assured of Jumia’s rigorous supplier screening process.
Natraj affirmed Jumia welcomes competition as it brings more credibility and allows consumers to compare and choose best options. With its investments in supply chain and expansion plans, Jumia has the capacity and scale to meet the demands of Nigeria’s thriving e-commerce sector.
The facility will enhance Jumia’s supply chain capabilities, allowing for faster deliveries across Nigeria as well as the ability to rapidly scale operations and service more consumers nationwide. This eliminates the need for first-mile transportation between multiple warehouses and sorting centres, resulting in a huge reduction in carbon emissions.
As Jumia Nigeria CEO Sunil Raj explained, Jumia has enhanced shopping in Nigeria by directly connecting brand owners and consumers. This provides choices for those in remote areas who previously lacked options when shopping online.
The investments in supply chain through the new warehouse will help Jumia solidify this role and live up to its mission of being Nigeria’s preferred online shopping destination.
“We are excited to provide our dedicated supply chain team with a modern and improved working environment. The new facility’s central location in Isolo Offers convenient access for our staff and streamlines the logistics processes. Additionally, the integration of various services will empower us to optimize fulfilment and reduce our environmental impact through minimized transportation requirements,” said Richmond Otu, Chief Supply Chain Officer of Jumia Nigeria.
Jumia also maintains good standards, projecting increased job opportunities between 400-600, giving customers assurance about the quality and originality of products sold on the platform.