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🛒 Jumia Posts Strong Q2, Eyes Profitability

🛒 Jumia Posts Strong Q2, Eyes Profitability

🛒 Shoprite exits Ghana and Malawi

Innovation Village
August 08, 2025

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Today’s Menu ☕️

🛒 Jumia Reports Strong Q2 2025 Turnaround with Clear Path to Profitability
🛒 Shoprite exits Ghana and Malawi, refocuses on core South African market
👨🏻‍💻 Why Europe Builds Brilliant Engineers But Not Billion-Dollar Tech Companies
🏨 Kasada secures €15M green financing for sustainable hotel development in Côte d’Ivoire
📱 Instagram Takes On Snapchat with New Instagram Map

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ECOMMERCE

Jumia Reports Strong Q2 2025 Turnaround with Clear Path to Profitability

Jumia, Africa’s leading e-commerce platform, posted a strong Q2 2025 performance, signaling steady progress toward profitability. The company’s revenue rose 25% year-over-year to $45.6 million, fueled by robust user growth, improved take rates, and a 47% surge in first-party sales driven by global brand partnerships like Starlink and Adidas.

Operational losses narrowed to $16.5 million—an 18% improvement—while Loss Before Income Tax dropped to $16.3 million from $22.5 million in Q2 2024. Jumia also grew its quarterly active users to 2.2 million and processed 5 million orders, with gross merchandise value (GMV) reaching $180.2 million.

CEO Francis Dufay reaffirmed the goal to break even by Q4 2026 and achieve full-year profitability by 2027, citing platform resilience and operational efficiency. Strategic exits from non-core markets, cost control, and disciplined cash usage have further strengthened Jumia’s financial position, with liquidity at $98.3 million. Jumia continues to prioritize core offerings, low-cost marketing, and geographic expansion into secondary cities..………continue reading

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🛒 RETAIL & CONSUMER MARKETS

Shoprite exits Ghana and Malawi, refocuses on core South African market

Shoprite Holdings, Africa’s largest grocery retailer, has exited Ghana and Malawi, marking its seventh retreat from African markets. The move highlights a strategic shift to focus on strengthening core operations in South Africa after years of losses and operational challenges abroad.

In Malawi, Shoprite is selling five stores to Karson Investment Trust, pending regulatory approval. In Ghana, it has received a binding offer for its seven stores and a warehouse, with the sale deemed “highly probable.”

The retailer previously exited Nigeria, Kenya, DRC, Uganda, and Madagascar, citing issues like currency depreciation, high inflation, and dollar-based costs. Shoprite isn’t alone—Massmart, Pick n Pay, and Tiger Brands have also scaled back due to similar pressures.

Shoprite now aims to grow in South Africa, projecting up to 19.4% rise in HEPS and R252.7 billion in sales for 2025. The exits reflect a broader shift toward risk-managed, profit-focused strategies over pan-African expansion.....…continue reading

👨🏻‍💻 TECHNOLOGY

Why Europe Builds Brilliant Engineers But Not Billion-Dollar Tech Companies

Despite its rich history of innovation, talent, and world-class infrastructure, Europe has yet to produce a global tech giant like Google, Amazon, or TikTok. This is not due to a lack of capability but rather a combination of structural, financial, and cultural barriers. European startups face fragmented markets, cautious investors, and heavy regulation. Unlike the U.S., where bold ideas are often backed with billions before profitability, Europe’s venture ecosystem prioritizes proof and polish over potential.

Cultural values also play a role—Europe favors precision and planning, while the U.S. celebrates risk and rapid growth. This makes it harder for European tech companies to scale globally or move fast enough to compete.

However, Europe leads in fields like public infrastructure, climate tech, and responsible design. If it wants to shape the digital future, it must embrace early-stage risk, simplify scaling across borders, and back its talent with confidence. Europe's next breakthrough won't come from inventing new minds, but from unleashing the ones it already has.....…continue reading

🏨 HOSPITALITY

Kasada secures €15M green financing for sustainable hotel development in Côte d’Ivoire

David Damiba, co-CEO & Managing Partner of Kasada

Kasada, a pan-African hospitality investment platform, has secured a €15 million debt facility from the Africa Go Green Fund (AGG), managed by Cygnum Capital, to finance a greenfield hospitality development in Angré, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. The project will include a 170-room hotel, co-working spaces under the Wojo brand, and a modern conference and exhibition center—catering to West Africa’s growing demand for flexible workspaces and upscale hospitality.

Sustainability is central to the development. Kasada plans to use energy-efficient infrastructure and low-carbon construction materials to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, electricity, and water consumption. This aligns with AGG’s mission to promote low-emission projects and sustainable development across Africa.

Kasada, already operating five hotels in Abidjan, views Côte d’Ivoire as a strategic growth market. AGG’s support emphasizes the rising value of green buildings in Africa’s hospitality sector. The project aims to set new standards by combining eco-conscious design with economic and social impact for long-term value creation.....…continue reading

📱SOCIAL MEDIA

Instagram Takes On Snapchat with New Instagram Map

Instagram has launched Instagram Map, a new feature that lets users explore photos, Reels, and Stories based on location. Designed to help users discover what's trending nearby, the tool offers a dynamic map interface, showcasing geo-tagged content in real time. Though innovative on the surface, Instagram Map closely mirrors Snapchat’s Snap Map, which debuted in 2017, offering users a way to explore location-based content.

However, Instagram’s version emphasizes algorithmic discovery over friend-based updates, showing what’s popular around you rather than just what your friends are sharing. This positions Instagram Map as a visual Yelp-meets-Google Maps experience — useful for discovering local restaurants, events, and hangouts through photos and videos.

While privacy and feature fatigue remain concerns, Instagram’s vast visual database and global user base give it an edge. As Meta continues to replicate and refine rival innovations, Instagram Map could become a compelling tool for local exploration — even if it’s not an original concept.......…continue reading