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Hidden Pipeline: Amazon and Walmart Reach African Shoppers Via Forwarders
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia /Energy & Infrastructure

Hidden Pipeline: Amazon and Walmart Reach African Shoppers Via Forwarders

From Asharq Al-Awsat · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • African shoppers without bank cards or formal addresses are increasingly buying online from global brands like Amazon and Walmart.
  • Package-forwarding companies like Senegalese startup Afrety use technology and mobile money to overcome logistical hurdles and deliver goods.
  • This growing e-commerce trend benefits local governments through customs duties and provides consumers with access to international products.

For many Africans, the dream of online shopping from global giants like Amazon and Walmart is now a reality, even without a bank card or a formal address. Package-forwarding companies are bridging this gap, leveraging technology and the widespread use of mobile money to connect consumers with international markets.

Senegalese startup Afrety exemplifies this trend. It provides shoppers with delivery addresses at warehouses in the United States, Europe, and China. Purchases are consolidated, repackaged, and shipped to West Africa. Upon arrival, customs duties are paid, contributing to local government revenue. Customers can pay using mobile money accounts, a common alternative to traditional banking in Senegal and across Africa.

"You have to be very, very, very flexible. That's the key word," Souane Diop, Afrety's 34-year-old CEO, told Reuters. His company, founded in 2018, has grown significantly, handling four to five metric tons of goods by air and two to three containers by sea weekly. Afrety maintains low costs by renting its French warehouse and partnering with firms in the U.S. and China.

You have ‌to be very, very, ‌very flexible. That's the key word

— Souane DiopSouane Diop, the 34-year-old CEO of Afrety, described the essential quality for operating a successful package-forwarding business in Africa.

Global logistics company Aramex is a larger competitor, operating similar services through its platforms. While Afrety's growth is linked to the strong ties between Senegal and France, Aramex in Sub-Saharan Africa utilizes MyUS, acquired in 2022, and its own platform, Shop and Ship. Aramex Group CEO Amadou Diallo stated the company aims to cater to African customers seeking brands unavailable locally, with Angola being a key market and operations extending to challenging regions like Somalia.

Aramex reports that Sub-Saharan Africa is one of its fastest-growing regions, with high demand for electronics, apparel, toys, and machinery. This burgeoning e-commerce landscape highlights a significant shift in African consumer behavior and market access.

serve African customers that want choice and brands otherwise unavailable to them

— Amadou DialloAramex Group Chief Executive Amadou Diallo explained the company's objective in the African market.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Asharq Al-Awsat in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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