Jumia, the pan-African e-commerce company, has partnered with Zipline to launch on-demand drone delivery in Ghana, with plans to expand the service to Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire in the near future. Jumia plans to integrate its existing distribution network with Zipline’s automated on-demand delivery system for rapid home deliveries, especially to shoppers residing in remote areas.
The collaboration will increase access to goods for customers and help small and medium-sized businesses grow. Zipline’s safe and efficient instant logistics system will make shopping on Jumia even more convenient, sustainable and accessible for its customers. According to Jumia, the launch comes after a successful pilot between its hubs in Ghana. The partnership also follows Jumia’s recent efforts to increase eco-friendly delivery options after recent deals with electric vehicle firms Solar Taxi in Ghana and eBee in Kenya.
Zipline creates, produces, and operates drones to deliver critical medical supplies to anybody, anywhere. The startup started out its operations in Rwanda and later in Ghana and has since expanded its operations to other countries within Africa and the U.S., where it is a logistics provider for a number of companies, including Novant Health and retail giant Walmart.