NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 17 – Rural Kenya has overtaken major cities as the country’s e-commerce growth engine, now accounting for 60 percent of all Jumia orders, a new report shows, signalling a major shift in consumer behaviour and digital inclusion across the counties.
The Jumia Kenya report, E-commerce in Rural Kenya: Expanding Access, Driving Inclusion, Connecting Border to Border, indicates that online shopping has evolved from an urban convenience to a nationwide economic driver supporting jobs, SMEs and household access to affordable goods.
Jumia says its platform now supports more than 50,000 livelihoods, including vendors, JForce agents, delivery riders and pickup-station operators.
Jumia Regional CEO for East Africa Vinod Goel described the trend as a “historic behavioural shift” among rural and small-town consumers.
“This report is not just about online shopping — it’s about livelihoods, inclusion, and opportunity,” Goel said. “Rural Kenya has become the driving force of e-commerce. With affordable smartphones, mobile money, and faster delivery networks, millions of households can now access a broader range of goods at fairer prices.”
Jumia has expanded its network to more than 300 pickup stations in over 100 towns across all 47 counties. As a result, average delivery times for rural shoppers have dropped to between two and four days, improving access to essential and higher-value items such as mobile phones, televisions, appliances and home essentials.
A major contributor to this growth is the JForce programme, now boasting more than 26,000 agents nationwide. These agents help first-time online shoppers navigate the digital marketplace, place orders and learn about products, with some agents coordinating community-level bulk purchases for rural customers.
The report also shows rising participation by small businesses, with SMEs now making up 60 percent of all sellers on the platform. Many are using Jumia to reach national markets that would otherwise be out of reach through traditional retail channels.
With expanding 4G and 5G coverage and continued investment in local logistics hubs, Jumia projects rural e-commerce penetration to rise further in the coming years, positioning the segment among Kenya’s fastest-growing digital economies.
However, the report warns that growth could be slowed by emerging tax proposals. It raises concerns over the planned withholding tax on marketplace transactions, arguing that the levy could push SMEs back into the informal sector and reduce compliance.
“E-commerce is widening market access for small businesses and giving rural households affordable choices,” Goel said. “To protect that progress, policies should recognise the role of marketplaces, support SMEs, and create a level playing field for both local and global digital platforms.”
