Independent research project

Market-entry research in ecommerce across Africa.

I'm researching and writing a market-entry series for Practical Ecommerce, starting with Nigeria. The goal is simple: help merchants and operators understand how ecommerce actually works on the ground, beyond the hype, reports, and assumptions.

Contribute to the research

Why this research matters

Africa's ecommerce story is bigger and more complex than most reports show.

$49B+

Ecommerce market value in Africa by 2025

Statista

34%+

Internet penetration across Africa

DataReportal

~60%

Of the population is under 25

20%+

Annual ecommerce growth in top markets

Various sources

70%+

Prefer cash or cash-equivalent payments

GSMA, 2023

80%+

Retail still happens through informal channels

World Bank, IFC

Markets in focus

A country-by-country series exploring what merchants need to know before entering or expanding.

Nigeria

Africa's largest retail market with fast-evolving digital behavior, complex logistics, and unique payment-trust dynamics.

In progress

Kenya

A mobile-first market with mature digital payments and a strong culture of local innovation.

Planned

South Africa

The most developed ecommerce market on the continent with high buying power and scale.

Planned

Egypt

A large, young population with accelerating digital commerce and payments adoption.

Planned

Morocco

A strategic gateway market connecting Africa and Europe with strong digital infrastructure.

Planned

What the research explores

Broad themes. Real ground insights. Practical clarity.

Market context

Economic, digital, and retail landscape

Categories and opportunities

What sells, what's growing, and what merchants overlook

Logistics and fulfilment

How goods move, where it breaks, and what local solutions are emerging

Payments and trust

How people prefer to pay, what builds trust, and where friction kills sales

Regulation and operations

Taxes, compliance, imports, local rules, and other constraints

Local operator insight

Lessons from founders, agencies, and operators on the ground

The opportunity in numbers

A snapshot of what makes Africa an important ecommerce frontier.

Population (2024)1.48B+
Online shoppers (2025 est.)220M+
Ecommerce market value (2025)$49B+
Projected market value (2030)$112B+
Annual growth rate20%+

Who I want to hear from

Ecommerce founders and operators Logistics and fulfilment providers Payment companies and fintechs Marketplaces and retailers Agencies and consultants Investors and analysts SaaS and infrastructure companies Anyone with on-the-ground insight

Contributor form

Contribute to the research.

If you work in one of the five focus markets, you can share context, examples, corrections, or on-the-ground perspective through the form below.

If you work in one of the five focus markets, you can share context, examples, corrections, operator experience, logistics realities, payments behavior, compliance context, and what reports usually miss.

About Wisdom

Wisdom Dabit

I'm a freelance writer and researcher focused on B2B, ecommerce, SaaS, and research-led content. I turn complex markets and buying behavior into practical, deeply researched pieces that help readers make better decisions.

About this research

This is independent research by Wisdom Dabit. Articles from the series are researched and written for Practical Ecommerce.

The project is currently focused on five major ecommerce markets: Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Egypt, and Morocco.

The reporting draws on operator interviews, market context, local examples, and published data to make each market easier to understand on the ground.

Independent research by Wisdom Dabit. Articles from the series are researched and written for Practical Ecommerce.

Participation does not guarantee coverage, quotation, feature, or reflect an endorsement.

Quick answers

Who can contribute?

Founders, operators, logistics providers, payment teams, agencies, marketplaces, investors, analysts, and anyone with useful local perspective can contribute.

Does contributing guarantee being quoted?

No. Participation does not guarantee coverage, quotation, feature, or reflect an endorsement.

Can companies share data privately?

Yes. If there is useful context that should be shared privately first, that can be handled carefully through the contributor process.

Is this sponsored?

No. This is independent research by Wisdom Dabit. Articles from the series are researched and written for Practical Ecommerce.

How will contributors be contacted?

Contributors will be contacted directly if their perspective is relevant to the current market focus or a future article in the series.