Why success in African e-commerce is all about scale and biding your time

It is widely agreed that the African e-commerce market presents a huge opportunity for entrepreneurs and investors alike. Frost & Sullivan estimates the market will be worth $50 billion by 2018, compared to $8 billion in 2013. E-commerce businesses of various persuasions and sizes are springing up across the continent, and investment money is flowing into the sector. Yet the truth is more nuanced. Though e-commerce is undoubtedly a long-term opportunity, and investors have not been slow to spot this, at the moment the market faces severe limitations. The primary issue is that the market is just too small. Only…



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