Jumia is cutting another 10% of staff. AI is the framing. Profitability is the deadline.

"Jumia Technologies is preparing to cut around 200 jobs, or roughly 10% of its current 2,000-person workforce, as it pushes to reach profitability by the end of 2026. Chief executive Francis Dufay told Bloomberg TV the company is now running AI-driven workflows across operations, logistics, finance, and marketing. The 200 jobs disappearing now sit on top of a workforce that has already shrunk by more than half since 2022."

"Jumia had 4,318 employees at the end of 2022. It has just under 2,000 today, a workforce reduction of roughly 54% over four years. The November 2025 round cut 7%. The current round adds another 10%. The company has, over the same period, exited South Africa and Tunisia, lost Baillie Gifford as its largest external shareholder, and watched Rocket Internet, the German company that incubated Jumia in 2012, walk away from its remaining stake."

"The accumulated losses sit at $2.2bn as of December 2025. AI is the current explanation. The restructuring is older than the explanation. The Q1 numbers are why the timing works. Jumia reported revenue of $50.6m for the quarter , up 39% year on year, gross merchandise value up 31% to $211.2m, and the adjusted EBITDA loss narrowed by 32% to $10.7m."

"Nigeria, the company's largest market, grew physical-goods GMV by 42%. Kenya grew by close to 50%. Dufay has reaffirmed guidance for adjusted EBITDA breakeven and positive cash flow in the fourth quarter, with full-year profitability targeted for 2027. The headline cuts are sized to close th"

Jumia Technologies plans to cut around 200 jobs, about 10% of its roughly 2,000-person workforce, while aiming for profitability by the end of 2026. The company is implementing AI-driven workflows across operations, logistics, finance, and marketing. Employment has already fallen sharply since 2022, when it had 4,318 employees, with reductions totaling about 54% over four years. The company has also exited South Africa and Tunisia, lost major external shareholder Baillie Gifford, and seen Rocket Internet exit its remaining stake. Accumulated losses reached $2.2 billion as of December 2025. Recent results show revenue growth and narrowing adjusted EBITDA losses, supporting guidance for breakeven and positive cash flow.

Read at TNW | Africa