Africa has a total of 57 countries and regions. In 2021, the population of Africa was about 1.28 billion, and the number of e-commerce users was 334 million. Nigeria, as the leader of African economies, had 78 million e-commerce users in 2021, followed by South Africa, with 24.7 million e-commerce users. The penetration rate of Africa’s overall e-commerce market is 27.9%, less than 1/1 of China’s. In 2021, the African e-commerce market was US$37.83 billion. In terms of payment, cash is the main method of online payment in Egypt, Kenya and Morocco, that is, cash on delivery. Nigeria and South Africa are relatively mature, and online payment is mainly card payment, and card payment is the payment method with the highest proportion of online payment in South Africa.
Main e-commerce markets: Nigeria and South Africa.
Consumption characteristics: 90% of local African goods come from China, and African consumers currently do not trust the security of Internet payments. In online shopping, cash on delivery is a very common payment method. Africa’s infrastructure and logistics network are not yet well-built, and the logistics options are very limited, which is also a major problem facing e-commerce. Consumers in Nigeria, Egypt, and Kenya buy the most electronic products (e.g., TVs, smartphones) online, followed by clothes, shoes, and household appliances.