Africa Recommerce Market Intelligence Report 2025: Informal Markets Dominate, But Platformization Is Emerging in Urban Centers - ResearchAndMarkets.com

The "Africa Recommerce Market Intelligence Databook - 60+ KPIs, Market Size, Share & Forecast by Channel, Category & Consumer Segment - Q2 2025 Update" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The recommerce market in Africa is expected to grow by 14.2% on annual basis to reach US$2.60 billion in 2025.

The recommerce market in the region experienced robust growth during 2020-2024, achieving a CAGR of 17.6%. This upward trajectory is expected to continue, with the market forecast to grow at a CAGR of 11.9% during 2025-2029. By the end of 2029, the recommerce market is projected to expand from its 2024 value of USD 2.28 billion to approximately USD 4.08 billion.

Recommerce in Africa is largely driven by informal resale networks, high mobile adoption, and affordability-driven consumer behavior. While most recommerce occurs outside formal retail systems, digital platforms in key countries such as Kenya, Nigeria, Egypt, and South Africa are gradually structuring resale in electronics, fashion, and mobility segments.

Recommerce will likely consolidate in major hubs like Lagos, Nairobi, Accra, and Johannesburg where digital infrastructure is strongest. Electronics recommerce will lead in formalization due to existing refurb value chains and rising smartphone turnover. Fashion resale may remain fragmented but niche digital communities will gain scale among younger urban consumers.

Africa's recommerce remains dominated by informal resale, but structured platforms in key urban markets and growing refurbished electronics ecosystems indicate a shift. Digitization, mobile money, and regional retail-tech investments will be critical in shaping the next growth wave.

A bundled offering provides detailed 3 reports (129 tables and 174 charts), covering regional insights along with data centric analysis at regional and country level:

• Africa Recommerce Market Intelligence Databook - 60+ KPIs, Market Size, Share & Forecast by Channel, Category & Consumer Segment
• Egypt Recommerce Market Intelligence Databook - 60+ KPIs, Market Size, Share & Forecast by Channel, Category & Consumer Segment
• South Africa Recommerce Market Intelligence Databook - 60+ KPIs, Market Size, Share & Forecast by Channel, Category & Consumer Segment

Key Insights

Competitive Landscape in Africa Is Fragmented Across Classifieds, Refurb Platforms, and Informal Resale Networks

Africa's recommerce ecosystem features generalist classifieds, refurb startups, resale marketplaces, and cross-border distributors. While most activity remains informal, structured platforms are emerging with localized models and city-specific scale.

Africa's recommerce competition is hyperlocal and infrastructure-constrained. However, players focusing on refurbishment, C2C verification, and regional logistics are well-positioned to lead recommerce transformation in key urban markets. Africa's recommerce ecosystem features generalist classifieds, refurb startups, resale marketplaces, and cross-border distributors. Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt, and South Africa lead formal activity, while most other markets remain informal and untracked.

Informal Markets Dominate, But Platformization Is Emerging in Urban Centers

• Most recommerce activity in Africa remains informal - occurring via local markets, social media, and physical resale hubs. However, cities like Nairobi, Lagos, Cairo, and Johannesburg are witnessing the rise of platforms like Jiji (Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda) and PigiaMe (Kenya) structuring peer-to-peer resale.
• Low average incomes and limited access to new goods push consumers toward secondhand markets. Urban smartphone penetration and increasing trust in digital payments support platform growth.
• Informal channels will persist, but digitization of resale in Tier 1 cities will accelerate, especially in electronics and vehicles.

Refurbished Electronics Are Scaling Through Local Distributors and B2B Models

• Startups like Badili (Kenya) and Encipher (Nigeria) are leading efforts to formalize smartphone refurbishment and resale. These players focus on sourcing used devices, refurbishing them locally, and reselling with warranties through partnerships.
• High demand for affordable smartphones and unreliable device imports create space for localized refurb value chains. Telco and fintech partnerships are emerging as distribution enablers.
• The segment will expand through regional partnerships and funding, with emphasis on logistics, testing, and warranty-backed offerings.

Apparel Recommerce Is Driven by Cross-Border Trade and Urban Resale Markets

• Africa's used clothing sector is shaped by massive imports from the U.S. and Europe (mitumba in Kenya, okrika in Nigeria), traded in bulk and resold in open-air markets. A few platforms like Thrift by Mitumba (Kenya) are digitizing aspects of this trade.
• Price sensitivity, urban youth fashion trends, and lack of affordable new apparel fuel growth. Cross-border supply and logistics are central to segment dynamics.
• Local fashion recommerce platforms may emerge gradually, but open-air markets will continue to dominate due to scale and accessibility.

Social Commerce and Messaging Apps Are Key C2C Enablers

• WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram are used for secondhand resale, especially in fashion, home goods, and electronics. Sellers build customer bases through referrals and mobile money.
• Mobile-first behavior, lack of retail infrastructure, and trust in personal networks drive adoption. Resale is embedded in everyday mobile behavior rather than standalone platforms.
• C2C social commerce will persist and evolve into hybrid platform-plus-messaging formats in Tier 1 regions.

Classifieds and Marketplaces Lead C2C Platform Penetration

• Jiji (Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda) is the largest structured classifieds network in Sub-Saharan Africa, operating across electronics, vehicles, household goods, and real estate. It has rolled out ad rankings and seller verification features to support trust in major cities like Lagos and Nairobi.
• PigiaMe (Kenya) and Tonaton (Ghana) are key in their respective countries and continue to gain traction among middle-income, mobile-savvy users for secondhand electronics and fashion.
• Facebook Marketplace and WhatsApp resale groups remain widespread for informal C2C, with limited safeguards, particularly for furniture and clothing resale.

Refurbished Electronics Players Are Driving Formalization in Smartphones and Appliances

• Badili (Kenya) offers a B2B2C recommerce model, acquiring pre-owned smartphones from individuals and retailers, refurbishing them in-house, and reselling through a wide channel network with warranty and grading support. It is actively partnering with telcos to scale its footprint.
• Encipher (Nigeria) and Orca Tech (South Africa) are expanding device testing and resale operations, focusing on affordability and trust.
• Xente (Uganda) integrates refurbished electronics with embedded financing and POS systems, targeting SME and retail tech demand.

Fashion Recommerce Is Dominated by Imports but Shows Signs of Digitization

• The informal fashion recommerce market - especially in countries like Kenya, Nigeria, and Ghana continues to revolve around imported secondhand clothing (mitumba, okrika), often sourced from the U.S. and Europe.
• Small digital startups such as Thrift by Mitumba (Kenya) and Instagram sellers in Nairobi and Accra have created early signs of structured resale with curated listings, delivery logistics, and digital payments.
• Larger players have yet to emerge, but growing demand from Gen Z and cultural normalization of thrift may support platform formation.

Infrastructure and Payments Pose Bottlenecks but Also Opportunities

• Mobile money networks (e.g., M-PESA in Kenya) are critical enablers for low-friction resale but remain disconnected from platform-based escrow and verification.
• Reverse logistics infrastructure remains limited, with most platforms relying on manual fulfillment or third-party informal delivery networks.
• Payment integration, grading systems, and return logistics will be core to scaling competition beyond city centers.

Funding and Partnerships Will Define Next-Stage Market Leaders

• Venture-backed recommerce is still early-stage but adjacent investment in last-mile logistics (e.g., Sendy, Kobo360) and fintech (e.g., Flutterwave) offers synergistic infrastructure.
• Partnerships between telecom providers, refurb platforms, and major retailers will be crucial in formalizing smartphone and appliance recommerce.
• Emerging government and NGO interest in electronics waste management (e.g., Rwanda's e-waste plant, Ghana's Agbogbloshie cleanup) may shape policy-driven scaling.

Scope

Recommerce Market Size and Growth Dynamics

• Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) Trend Analysis
• Average Transaction Value Trend Analysis
• Transaction Volume Trend Analysis

Recommerce Market Size and Forecast by Sector

• Retail Shopping
• Home Improvement
• Other Sectors

Recommerce Market Size and Forecast by Retail Category

• Apparel & Accessories
• Consumer Electronics
• Home Appliances
• Home Decor & Essentials
• Books, Toys & Hobbies
• Automotive Parts & Accessories
• Sports & Fitness Equipment
• Other Product Categories

Recommerce by Channel

• Consumer-to-Consumer (C2C)
• Business-to-Consumer (B2C)
• Retailer Trade-In & Buyback Programs

Recommerce by Sales Model

• Resale
• Rental
• Refurbishment & Certified Pre-Owned

Recommerce by Digital Engagement Channel

• Website-Based Resale
• App-Based Resale
• Social Media Driven Resale

Recommerce by Platform Type

• Generalist Marketplaces
• Vertical-Specific Platforms

Recommerce by Device and OS

• Mobile vs Desktop
• Android, iOS

Recommerce by City Tier

• Tier 1 Cities
• Tier 2 Cities
• Tier 3 Cities

Recommerce by Payment Instrument

• Credit Card
• Debit Card
• Bank Transfer
• Prepaid Card
• Digital & Mobile Wallets
• Other Digital Payments
• Cash

Recommerce Market Share Analysis

• Market Share by Key Players
• Competitive Landscape Overview

Recommerce by Consumer Demographics

• Market Share by Age Group
• Market Share by Income Level
• Market Share by Gender

Key Attributes:

Report Attribute	Details
No. of Pages	249
Forecast Period	2025 - 2029
Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2025	$2.6 Billion
Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2029	$4.08 Billion
Compound Annual Growth Rate	11.9%
Regions Covered	Africa

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/ejblds

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