Jumia appoints new Nigeria chief executive officer

E-commerce company Jumia has appointed Sunil Natraj to lead its Nigeria operation from Jan. 1, 2024.

Francis Dufay, the chief executive officer of Jumia Group made the announcement during a media briefing in Lagos. Dufay said that Natraj would be taking over as Jumia Nigeria CEO from Massimiliano Spalazzi, who will be leaving the company on Dec. 31.

About the new CEO

Natraj joined Jumia in 2022 with extensive experience in Sub-Saharan Africa.

In Jumia, he handled the Jumia Express logistics business as Vice President of Sales and Marketing based in Lagos, Nigeria, before becoming the Chief Executive Officer of Jumia Ghana, Dufay said.

“He has worked towards cost definitions, reduction, price definition, standardisation, business development and growth,” he said.

“Prior to Jumia, he has managed and built brands in the region and has handled large businesses in the FMCG sector.”

According to Dufay, Natraj has been based in Africa for over 11 years, where he worked for large multinationals such as GB Foods.

He added that Natraj held a B.Sc in Engineering and MBA from the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta.

For Spalazzi, Dufay said: “We extend our sincere thanks as you depart from our team following 11 years since the very start of Jumia.

“Spalazzi has been part of the founding team since Jumia was launched in 2012 and has covered many leadership roles across all our countries and functions until his current role as Chief Executive Officer in Nigeria.”

Also, the new chief executive officer, Natraj said: “I am thrilled I will be leading Jumia in Nigeria, one of our largest markets and also helping to transform Africa’s economy through e-commerce.

“It is an honour to contribute to Jumia’s success in the country by prioritising customer satisfaction, secure payments and strong partnerships.

“Our dedicated team is key to our future success, and I am confident we will achieve even greater milestones, always earning our customers’ trust.”