This archive report was first published on 11 May 2020.
On May 11, 2020, KEPSA and Jumia announced a partnership to support distressed businesses in Kenya by providing them with the tools to sell their products online.
As part of the Digital Commerce Platform, Jumia will offer free online training to businesses, covering topics such as e-commerce basics, operations, marketing, finance, and sales.
Jumia's Chief Executive Officer, Sam Chappatte, emphasized the importance of this initiative, stating, "Now more than ever, we need to be all-hands-on-deck to help cushion businesses from the impact of COVID-19. We will commit resources to support KEPSA's Digital Commerce initiative, to train vendors and give them the tools to sell online effectively."
After completing the training, businesses can register and open their shops on Jumia at zero startup costs, reaching over 4 million Kenyans who visit the e-commerce platform.
KEPSA's Chief Executive Officer, Caroline Karuga, added, "We believe Jumia is the best positioned e-commerce company to do this, with its current scale and countrywide operations – and is prepared to invest upfront in this initiative."
As part of the partnership, Jumia will reduce its commissions on vendors by 50 percent for locally manufactured goods and to 1 percent for all businesses enrolling via the Digital Commerce Program for their first month on the platform.
The initial phase of the KEPSA Digital Commerce Program will be limited to Nairobi, with plans to scale it out to other counties.
KEPSA will also take precautionary measures to ensure the safety of its members during the COVID-19 pandemic, including contactless deliveries and cashless payments.
