Economy
Jumia’s Q3 2020 Results Show Positive Rebound
Months of headwinds appear to be fading for African e-tailer, Jumia as its recently announced financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2020, have shown the company on a rebound and on its way to recovery.
Jumia, in Q3 2020, made “significant progress on the path to profitability” as evidenced by increased gross profit by 22 per cent year-over-year and decrease in the operating loss by 49 per cent year-over-year.
The firm’s payment platform, JumiaPay’s total payment volume (TPV) also increased by 50 per cent year-over-year, while annual active consumers reached 6.7 million in Q3 2020, up 23 per cent year-over-year, among other positive headlines in the quarter in review.
In more details, the financial results indicated that Jumia’s gross profit reached €23.2 million, a year-over-year increase of 22 per cent, while gross profit after fulfilment expense (GPAFE) reached €6.6 million, compared to a loss of €1.7 million in Q3 2019.
Sales & Advertising (S&A) expense was €6.2 million, the lowest quarterly amount since 2017 and a year-over-year decrease of 55 per cent. The e-commerce firm attributed this feat to a commitment to increase marketing efficiency as S&A expenses per Order decreased by 53 per cent from c. €2.0 in Q3 2019 to €0.9 in Q3 2020.
Jumia also for the first time at the group level, returned double positives in both GPAFE and S&A expenses, with the majority of countries breaking even at this level Q3 2020.
Operating loss reached a three-year low of €28.0 million, decreasing by 49 per cent year-over-year. JumiaPay TPV was €48.0 million, a year-over-year increase of 50%, more than doubling on-platform TPV penetration from 12.2 per cent of GMV in Q3 2019 to 25.6 per cent of GMV in Q3 2020.
However, GMV was €187.3 million, down 28 per cent year-over-year, as the effects of the business mix rebalancing initiated late last year continued playing out during the third quarter. But this was not enough to blind the significant path to profitability that the foregoing indices have highlighted.
Commenting Jeremy Hodara and Sacha Poignonnec, Co-Chief Executive Officers of Jumia, said, “We are making significant progress on our path to profitability with Adjusted EBITDA loss in the third quarter of 2020 decreasing by 50 per cent year-over-year.”
This positive stride is also future-proven by several innovative growth fundamentals that management of Jumia initiated and implemented over a period of time. The “business mix rebalancing” includes increased attraction of Jumia platform for everyday product categories, enhanced promotional discipline and support.
By positioning Jumia as the destination of choice for brands in Africa, over 60 brands from across geographies were on Jumia platform. Multiple enhancements across the logistics and marketing operations were also implemented; this led to a decrease in fulfilment and marketing expenses for Q3 2020 by 20 per cent and 55 per cent respectively, on a year-over-year basis.
The completion of portfolio optimisation in 2019, along with overhead rationalisation, also resulted in a decrease in General and Administrative (G&A) costs excluding share-based compensation of 24 per cent year-over-year in Q3 2020.
The continuous drive for the robust growth of JumiaPay by more than doubling the penetration of JumiaPay TPV to over 25 per cent of GMV in the third quarter of 2020 also bolstered Jumia’s positive outlook.
Attack and lawsuit over the sale of Jumia shares, the slump in share price, loss taking and recent offload of MTN Group’s equities were some of the headwinds that have challenged the e-tailer, shading its potential as a profitable enterprise.
The Q3 2020 positive trajectory no doubt, rewrites the narrative for Jumia, whose performance over the months had been swirled on many fronts.
“We believe the fundamentals of our business have never been stronger, setting a robust foundation for the long term, profitable growth of Jumia,” Hodara and Poignonnec stated.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Vert, a global cross-border payments platform, has announced a new solution under Verto Business Accounts that enables US-registered businesses to move money seamlessly between the United States and Africa.
With the ability to open a US Dollar account in their business name and have access to trusted emerging market payment rails, companies can now receive, hold, and transfer funds faster, more cost-effectively, and with greater control.
US-registered businesses with operations in Africa often encounter significant banking limitations, with US banks frequently delaying or blocking transactions to or from African markets, imposing high or hidden FX costs, and offering limited access to Emerging Market payment corridors. Businesses without a US bank account registered in their own name must rely on fragmented tools or intermediaries to move funds to Africa, creating operational inefficiencies and slowing growth.
Verto’s new solution directly addresses these challenges by giving US-domiciled businesses access to named USD accounts and a robust cross-border payment infrastructure, enabling them to move funds and settle transactions in local currencies with speed and efficiency.
Built for venture-backed startups, import-export SMEs, and investors funding emerging market innovation, this solution will enable clients to receive funds directly into a named USD business account from US based customers or investors, convert and settle between USD and local currencies such as NGN and KES quickly and at lower cost, as well as hold, receive, and pay in 48 currencies from a single dashboard.
The solution will also allow users to pay contractors, suppliers, and offshore teams instantly via local payment rails. It also equips teams with virtual cards to spend in 11 currencies without fees and leverage specialised onboarding and monitoring that navigates both US and African regulatory requirements
By combining US and African compliance expertise, Verto’s Business Accounts empowers companies to maintain a US domestic presence for investors, customers, and suppliers while using deep-liquidity rails to pay global contractors and settle trades in local currencies efficiently, ensuring uninterrupted trade, payroll, and investment flows, without the risk of blocked or delayed transactions.
“We believe founders building across borders should not be constrained by the limitations of traditional banking,” said Ola Oyetayo, CEO of Verto. “Providing named accounts in the US empowers businesses with the funds they need to operate globally, connecting the US and Africa more efficiently without friction.”
With over 8 years of experience and $25 billion in annual global cross-border transaction volume, Verto continues to provide the infrastructure, expertise, and trusted payment rails businesses need to operate confidently across borders and scale globally.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) has directed Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to suspend the introduction of new policies and regulatory changes to prevent disruptions to businesses.
The directive was issued in a statement by PEBEC director-general, Mrs Zahrah Mustapha-Audu, on Monday in Abuja, noting that the move is part of the Federal Government’s broader effort to improve regulatory quality, ensure policy consistency, and strengthen Nigeria’s ease of doing business environment.
The council emphasised that the suspension will remain in place until all MDAs fully comply with the Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA) Framework, which governs evidence-based policymaking across government institutions.
The council said the directive is aimed at ensuring that all government policies are backed by verifiable data and do not negatively impact businesses or investors.
“It is imperative to emphasise that no new reform or policy will be permitted to proceed without being grounded in clear, verifiable evidence,” said Mrs Mustapha-Audu.
“The framework provides the structured mechanism through which such evidence-based decisions can be rigorously developed, assessed, and validated.
“This directive is necessary to prevent policy shocks that may adversely affect businesses, investors, and citizens, as well as to eliminate policy inconsistencies and frequent reversals.”
She added that the government remains committed to working collaboratively with regulators and does not intend to embarrass any institution.
The Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA) Framework, introduced in January 2025, is designed to improve transparency and ensure that policies undergo proper evaluation before implementation.
All MDAs are required to align new policies and amendments with the RIA framework before approval and rollout.
The framework has been circulated by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and is available on the PEBEC website.
MDAs are encouraged to seek technical support from the PEBEC Secretariat to ensure proper implementation.
Exceptions to the directive will only be granted in cases of urgent national interest, subject to appropriate approvals.
PEBEC noted that the framework will help institutionalise evidence-based policymaking, enhance transparency, and improve stakeholder confidence in government decisions.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
Subscription for the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) savings bonds for April 2026 has opened, a circular from the Debt Management Office (DMO) on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, confirmed.
The debt office is selling the retail debt instrument for this month in two tenors of two years and three years.
Offer for the savings bonds opened today and will close on Friday, April 10, 2026, a part of the disclosure stated.
The 2-year FGN savings bond due April 15, 2028, is being sold at a coupon rate of 13.082 per cent per annum, while the 3-year FGN savings bond due April 15, 2029, is being sold at a coupon rate of 14.082 per cent per annum.
The interests are paid every quarter, and the bullet repayment to subscribers on the maturity date.
The bonds are sold at N1,000 per unit, subject to a minimum subscription of N5,000 and in multiples of N1,000 thereafter, subject to a maximum subscription of N50 million.
Interested investors are required to reach out to the stockbroking firms appointed as distribution agents by the DMO via the agency’s website.
An FGN savings bond qualifies as securities in which trustees can invest under the Trustee Investment Act. It also qualifies as government securities within the meaning of the Company Income Tax Act (CITA) and the Personal Income Tax Act (PITA) for tax exemption for pension funds, amongst other investors, meaning it is tax-free.
It can be used as a liquid asset for liquidity ratio calculation for banks, and is listed on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited to allow for easy exit (liquidation) before maturity by selling at the secondary market.
-
Feature/OPED6 years agoDavos was Different this year
-
Travel/Tourism10 years ago
Lagos Seals Western Lodge Hotel In Ikorodu
-
Showbiz3 years agoEstranged Lover Releases Videos of Empress Njamah Bathing
-
Banking8 years agoSort Codes of GTBank Branches in Nigeria
-
Economy3 years agoSubsidy Removal: CNG at N130 Per Litre Cheaper Than Petrol—IPMAN
-
Banking3 years agoSort Codes of UBA Branches in Nigeria
-
Banking3 years agoFirst Bank Announces Planned Downtime
-
Sports3 years agoHighest Paid Nigerian Footballer – How Much Do Nigerian Footballers Earn