SENEGAL: Growing demand for online shopping is driving the expansion of package-forwarding companies that enable consumers across sub-Saharan Africa to purchase products from global retailers such as Amazon and Walmart, despite the companies having little or no direct presence in much of the region.
The intermediaries provide overseas shipping addresses, payment solutions and delivery services, helping customers overcome barriers such as limited banking access and the absence of formal street addresses.
How do package-forwarding services operate?
Companies such as Senegal-based startup Afrety provide customers with warehouse addresses in the United States, France and China, where online purchases are received, consolidated and shipped to Africa.
Once shipments arrive, customs duties are paid before packages are delivered to customers using GPS-based navigation, motorbikes and delivery vans.
Customers without bank cards can pay through mobile money accounts, which are widely used across several African countries and can be funded with cash through local kiosks.
Why is demand for these services increasing?
Rising internet penetration and growing consumer demand for international brands have accelerated the use of cross-border e-commerce services.
Package-forwarding companies have expanded operations by leveraging digital payment systems and logistics networks to connect African consumers with retailers that do not operate directly in many sub-Saharan markets.
Which companies are expanding in the sector?
Alongside Afrety, global logistics company Aramex operates international package-forwarding platforms, including MyUS and Shop and Ship, serving customers across several African countries.
The company said electronics, clothing, toys, agricultural machinery and auto parts are among the most frequently purchased products, with plans to double regional shipping revenue by 2030.
What challenges continue to limit e-commerce growth?
Despite rising demand, industry analysts say online shopping remains concentrated in major urban centres due to income disparities and infrastructure constraints.
According to Tech Cabal Insights, internet penetration across Africa has reached approximately 43% of the continent’s 1.5 billion people, but only a small proportion have sufficient purchasing power to shop online regularly.
In Nigeria, only about one-third of internet users make online purchases, while online shopping remains significantly lower across parts of Central Africa.
How is South Africa different from the rest of the continent?
South Africa remains the region’s most developed e-commerce market, with online retail sales growing by nearly 35% annually over the past five years to approximately 140 billion rand ($7.26 billion) in 2025.
The market has attracted major international retailers, with Amazon launching its first online marketplace in South Africa in 2024 and Walmart opening its first branded stores in Johannesburg last year.
Neither Amazon nor Walmart has announced plans to expand direct operations into other parts of sub-Saharan Africa.
Who are the main competitors in Africa’s e-commerce market?
African e-commerce platform Jumia, which operates in eight sub-Saharan African countries, continues to compete with international logistics firms and Chinese online retailers such as Temu and Shein.
The company expects to reach profitability this year and identified Nigeria as one of the continent’s fastest-growing e-commerce markets, where business expanded by around 50% during the final quarter of 2025.