New Jumia Nigeria CEO Temidayo Ojo says no plan for job cuts, focus on local expansion

Newly appointed CEO of Jumia Nigeria, Temidayo Ojo, has said a major focus of his leadership would be to expand the e-commerce service to secondary cities. The new CEO disclosed this in an exclusive chat with Technext. According to him, the ultimate priority would be to unlock greater value for the organisation.

“As for my focus, it will be on deepening our customer experience, expanding into secondary
cities, and enhancing our seller ecosystem. Nigeria’s e-commerce landscape holds tremendous opportunity, and my priority will be to unlock more value for customers and partners by staying close to the needs of the market and innovating with relevance,” he told Technext.

Ojo was appointed to replace the outgoing CEO, Mr. Sunil Natraj. He joined Jumia in 2020 as Head of Planning and Performance and had climbed quickly through the ranks. His previous role was as CEO of Jumia Ghana, where he recorded impressive successes. Being appointed as the head of Jumia in Nigeria represents a homecoming of sorts for him.

Recounting what the new role means to him, Mr Ojo described it as a great honour and deeply personal milestone, especially for someone who has risen through the ranks in the Jumia ecosystem.

“Being appointed CEO of Jumia Nigeria is a great honour and a deeply personal milestone for me. Having grown within the Jumia ecosystem and as someone who understands the Nigerian landscape firsthand, this role presents a unique opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the continued growth of e-commerce in one of Africa’s most dynamic markets. It’s both a responsibility and a privilege I don’t take lightly,” he said.

From Ghana to Nigeria, Temidayo Ojo’s journey has made him a major authority in the West African e-commerce market. This probably prompted the reference that Jumia wanted a CEO with local expertise and understanding of the market. However, Mr Ojo’s successor, Sunil Natraj, had pretty much travelled the same road, becoming CEO in Ghana before assuming the mantle in Nigeria.

Addressing the familiar paths he had traversed and the job his successor had done, Mr Ojo, while expressing his utmost respect for the job his successor had done, pointed out that Mr Sunil’s leadership was instrumental in turning around Jumia Nigeria for long-term growth.

“Nigeria has seen a strong turnaround, and Jumia is succeeding, as evidenced by our Q1 2025 results. In Nigeria, Physical Goods Orders grew by 22% year-over-year (YoY), while GMV increased by 20% YoY in USD. This shows both increased user engagement and operational effectiveness. We remain committed to building on this momentum,” he said.

He also stressed that many of the partnerships and collaborations championed by the immediate past CEO were built on shared goals and strong mutual value, and he intends to build on that foundation rather than start from scratch.

Tackling Jumia Nigeria’s challenges without fear of job cuts

Much of the talk around Temidayo Ojo’s appointment has been around bringing local experience to such a global brand. In his chat with Technext, the new CEO showed a glimpse of his understanding of the two West African markets he had led (Ghana and Nigeria), noting their unique peculiarities and similarities.

Noting that every market has its nuances, he explained that the scale and complexities of these nuances are quite significant in the Nigerian market. This is because innovators are dealing with a much larger population, diverse consumer preferences, infrastructure gaps, and
varying regional dynamics.

He also pointed out that currency fluctuations and inflation add another layer of complexity for both consumers and businesses alike. However, regardless of the level of complexity, deep local insights will be invaluable for navigating the challenges presented by these complexities, something he believes he has.

“Ghana, while also dynamic, has a slightly more centralised structure, which sometimes makes
execution more streamlined. That said, both markets require deep local insight, adaptability, and strong operational discipline. My experience across both countries will be invaluable as we
navigate these differences and uncover new opportunities,” he said.

It is not unusual that major changes like this one lead to subsequent shakeups and possibly job cuts as the man at the helm starts implementing his strategies. This is especially a worry, seeing as Jumia is a company looking to cut down on operational costs and other costs contributing to the company’s financial burdens.

Asked if one should expect job cuts or whether members of staff can breathe easy, the new CEO assured there are no such plans, as the workers are the organisation’s biggest assets.
“There are no plans to cut jobs. We’ve already streamlined our operations in recent times, and what we’re focused on now is growth. Our people are one of our strongest assets, and I believe we have the right team in place to achieve our goals. Our focus going forward is on building, scaling, and serving our customers better, and that requires a committed, motivated workforce,” he said.

The new CEO, Temidayo Ojo, has his job cut out for him, and he seems like a man assured in his capacity to deliver and build on the successes of his predecessor. He believes he has a strong workforce behind him, and the world waits to see what he is able to achieve with all he has been given.