Social Commerce : The Silent Revolution Reshaping African Retail

In Africa, commerce doesn't happen on websites. It happens in conversations.

Forget traditional e-commerce. In Nigeria, 36.8 million users spend nearly four hours daily on social platforms that now integrate payment features. Social commerce has shifted from a supplementary marketing channel to a priority sales engine.

The Numbers That Speak

Social commerce transaction value in Nigeria is projected to nearly double, from USD 2.04 billion in 2025 to USD 3.96 billion by 2030, outpacing overall market growth. This dynamic extends far beyond Nigeria: it's replicated in Kenya, Côte d'Ivoire, and Ghana. Mobile commerce now accounts for over 80% of online orders on the continent. And 60% of African e-commerce transactions will be mobile by end of 2025.

WhatsApp: The New Point of Sale

African entrepreneurs have understood what many international brands still ignore: WhatsApp is not a messaging app. It's a commercial infrastructure. WhatsApp communities enable viral growth, build trust through real-time messaging, and drastically shorten conversion paths. The model is simple : product verification before purchase via photo and video, direct negotiation, mobile payment, delivery. No website. No shopping cart. Just a conversation.

The Creator Economy as Leverage

Platforms are opening monetization avenues for content creators, adding a community-led influence layer that supports cross-selling. In Africa, 52% of consumers say they actively follow fashion trends via social media. Snapchat and TikTok are the new tastemakers. For fashion and beauty brands, the equation is clear: no engaged social presence, no African market.

The BAICI Takeaway

African social commerce isn't a watered-down version of Western e-commerce. It's a native model, adapted to a continent where trust is built through exchange, where network matters more than brand, and where mobile is the only digital access point for millions of consumers. The brands that will win are those that know how to sell the way Africans buy: through conversation.

Sources and Methodology

• Mordor Intelligence - Nigeria E-commerce Market 2025-2030

• Sagaci Research - Fashion in Africa: Consumer Insights 2025

• GSMA - Mobile Economy Sub-Saharan Africa 2025

• TechCabal Insights - The Future of African Commerce 2025

Data presented in this article comes from institutional sources and recognized market research. BAICI is committed to verifying the accuracy of all published information.