Jumia, a leading e-commerce platform in Africa, has revealed a significant leadership change with the appointment of Sunil Natraj as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for Nigeria. The company, in an official statement, disclosed that Sunil Natraj will assume his role as CEO effective January 1st, 2024, succeeding Massimiliano Spalazzi, who will be stepping down from his position on December 31st, 2023.
Francis Dufay, the CEO of Jumia Group, expressed gratitude to Massimiliano Spalazzi for his 11 years of dedicated service to the company. In acknowledging the transition, Dufay extended best wishes to the outgoing CEO and welcomed Sunil Natraj to his new role, stating, “We extend our sincere thanks and wish the best to Massi as he departs our teams since the very start of Jumia. We wish the very best for Sunil for this new challenge.”
Sunil Natraj, who joined Jumia in 2022, has already played a pivotal role within the company, serving as the Vice President of Sales and Marketing based in Lagos, Nigeria. His responsibilities included overseeing the Jumia Express logistics business. Prior to his current appointment, Sunil was the CEO for Jumia Ghana.
Before joining Jumia, Sunil amassed over 11 years of experience in the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) sector across Africa, working with prominent brands such as GBFoods and others. Having spent over a decade in Ghana, he worked for large food-producing multinationals with operations in Europe and Africa. Sunil holds an IT Engineering degree and an MBA from The Indian Institute of Management Calcutta.
Expressing his enthusiasm about the new role, Sunil Natraj stated, “I’m thrilled I will be leading Jumia in Nigeria, one of our largest markets, and to help transform Africa’s economy through e-commerce. It’s an honor to contribute to Jumia’s success in the country, prioritizing 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.”
Sunil Natraj’s appointment signifies a strategic move for Jumia in leveraging experienced leadership to drive the company’s growth and impact in the Nigerian market, reinforcing its commitment to providing innovative e-commerce solutions in Africa.
