Pan-African e-commerce giant Jumia says it has moved decisively beyond survival mode after posting robust fourth-quarter 2025 earnings, with CEO Francis Dufay declaring the company is now entering a phase of high growth after years of restructuring.
The firm, founded in Lagos, Nigeria, in 2012, reported a sharp acceleration in core marketplace activity, reinforcing what management describes as a successful turnaround built on tighter execution, cost discipline and smarter geographic focus.
Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) jumped 36% year-on-year to $279.5 million in Q4, while adjusted EBITDA losses nearly halved to $7.3 million. Revenue rose 34% to $61.4 million, and cash burn narrowed significantly, a signal that Jumia’s operating engine is strengthening.
“The growth rate of the company has been accelerating. We are really scaling. Demand has always been there in our markets. What’s changing is our execution,” Dufay said.
Nigeria led the charge with 50% GMV growth, while Ghana recorded triple-digit expansion in physical goods. Egypt stabilised after currency and corporate sales headwinds, reinforcing what Dufay called a “confirmation” of recovery.
Often dubbed the “Amazon of Africa,” Jumia operates a marketplace platform, a logistics network, and a digital payments arm across key African economies. After years of heavy losses, the company streamlined operations, exiting South Africa, Tunisia and now Algeria, while cutting non-core services, reducing headcount and deploying AI tools to improve efficiency.
Competition from Chinese fast-commerce players Temu and Shein has further intensified pricing pressure. Yet, Dufay argues that the Africa-focused e-commerce retailer’s logistics footprint, payment-on-delivery model and expanded sourcing operations in China have helped level the playing field.
“People thought they would eat our lunch. But we can fight against those platforms in our markets,” he said.
The Jumia CEO stressed that operational upgrades, including rural pickup networks and Buy Now, Pay Later partnerships, are driving customer retention and higher order volumes. First-party international partnerships have also boosted the revenue mix.
Looking ahead, Jumia expects GMV growth of up to 32% in 2026 and targets adjusted EBITDA breakeven by the fourth quarter.
“This business has changed. It’s clear in the numbers that profitability is within reach, and now the focus is scaling what works,” stated Dufay.
He believes Jumia’s pivot is a sign of a maturing African e-commerce sector where disciplined growth, localisation and logistics excellence may define the next competitive frontier.
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