In a financial report for the full year 2023, Jumia disclosed a significant 64% year-over-year decline in operating loss, amounting to $73 million.
The e-commerce giant cited a 20% drop in Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) to $750 million, attributed to currency devaluation.
The company’s revenue also experienced an 8% decline, totaling $186 million, primarily impacted by adverse currency movements across its markets.
Jumia’s strategic transformation in 2023, marked by employee layoffs and discontinuation of ventures like Jumia Food, aimed to address profitability challenges.
Despite the downturn, Jumia said it remains optimistic about the future, foreseeing improved unit economics and lower cash utilization resulting from the implemented transformation policies.
CEO Francis Dufay acknowledged external challenges, including high inflation rates and currency depreciation affecting customer purchasing power.
Looking ahead to 2024, Jumia’s growth strategy focuses on its physical goods business and achieving cost savings through organizational streamlining.
Dufay expressed confidence in the company’s outlook, anticipating a return to growth, reduced losses, and benefits from recovering macroeconomic situations in African markets.
Jumia aims to capitalize on the unique e-commerce opportunities in Africa as market conditions gradually improve.
