Nigeria’s e-commerce industry is expanding beyond its domestic borders as entrepreneurs leverage lessons learned from local platforms to develop regional strategies. One of those voices, Ezejelue Ejike, Chief Executive Officer of Amary Nigeria, says his company’s journey on Jumia and Konga has laid the foundation for an ambitious plan to scale operations across Africa.

Ejike, who began selling online with just a handful of products, says careful observation of how platforms reward sellers became a turning point for his business. “We took time to understand how their systems reward sellers: things like fulfilment speed, seller ratings, and pricing dynamics. Over time, we built a structure that now handles over 4,500 orders every month. Our products are now visible, trusted, and affordable across all major Nigerian e-commerce platforms,” he explained.

Growth, however, did not come without obstacles. Ejike identifies logistics bottlenecks and theft as persistent challenges for online sellers. “At one point, we had major issues with goods being stolen or misplaced during delivery. Then there’s pricing—local currency devaluation meant we had to constantly adjust without losing customers. Jumia and Konga are competitive, so even a ₦100 price difference can make or break a product,” he said. To adapt, Amary Nigeria invested in tighter systems and recruited staff to streamline its operations.

Policy shifts in Nigeria also tested resilience. When sudden import restrictions raised costs, Ejike turned to domestic suppliers to cushion the impact. “During one of Nigeria’s sudden import policy changes, our cost of goods tripled. Many sellers pulled out or went silent. We quickly shifted to local suppliers for certain products and reworked our pricing strategies on Jumia. That pivot helped us retain sales and even gain new customers when competitors went offline,” he recalled.

Technology, Ejike insists, has become central to how Amary Nigeria operates. “We use data to track what customers are searching for on Jumia and Konga. We monitor conversion rates, fulfilment timing, and even which keywords perform best in product titles. With tools like Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, and platform dashboards, we make real-time decisions every week,” he said.

Beyond commerce, Ejike mentors young entrepreneurs through the iEducate programme, urging them to start cautiously but strategically. “Start small, but start smart. Don’t jump in blind. Study how sellers perform on Jumia and Konga. Know your audience and build around what they actually need. Learn digital skills like SEO optimisation, ad targeting, and product listing. And most importantly—stay consistent. The results come if you don’t give up.”

Looking ahead, Ejike says Amary Nigeria is preparing to expand beyond Nigeria into South Africa, Kenya, and Ghana. He envisions what he calls an “interconnected e-commerce echo chamber” for Africa, designed to localise operations while improving delivery speed across borders. “That’s the dream, and I believe it’s possible,” he said.

Ejike, a civil engineering graduate of the University of Benin, holds certifications in Amazon e-commerce, SEO optimisation, and Facebook Ads. He is currently pursuing an MBA while leading a team of eight at Amary Nigeria.