African online shopping website JUMIA has been named the 'e-commerce website of the year' at the Beacon of ICT (BOICT) Awards.

The awards, which have taken place in Nigeria, identify and celebrate key brands that are championing the sector in the economy.

And JUMIA beat top online contenders such as Konga and OLX to take home the award for the biggest and best e-commerce website in Nigeria.

JUMIA won the award for its efforts in helping to grow the e-commerce market in Nigeria, a statement revealed.

Co-chief executive officer at JUMIA, Nicolas Martin, accepted the award and said, "We are excited that our efforts are continuing to pay off with the acceptance of our brand and retail e-commerce in Nigeria. The only way to stay No.1 is by satisfying customers and expanding our reach. We would like to thank all our customers and all those who believe in us, hopefully next year we will take home this same award and more."

Launched in 2012 JUMIA claims it has become the West African nation's largest online retailer.

Jumia enables customers to shop online for the widest selection of items and have them shipped directly to the home or office.