Jiji, the African e-commerce giant, is taking a big leap beyond the continent.

The company has set its sights on Bangladesh, a country with a booming middle class and rising mobile connectivity. It’s a move that shows Jiji is ready to go global, targeting high-growth emerging markets outside Africa. And the numbers back up their decision—Bangladesh’s e-commerce market is on track to hit $13 billion by 2027, according to Payments and Commerce Market Intelligence (PCMI).

Right now, Jiji operates in seven African countries: Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, and Senegal. Expanding into Bangladesh feels like the next logical step. The country has 131 million internet users, and more people are getting comfortable shopping online. That’s a massive audience for Jiji, which already has 12 million active users every month.

“With a solid financial foundation and a scalable business model, we have grown into a profitable leader in Africa’s e-commerce space,” a Jiji spokesperson told TechCabal. “Our success in Africa has shown us how to navigate fast-growing markets, and we believe Bangladesh has the same potential for Jiji to thrive, helping to grow the e-commerce sector.”

Bangladesh has been making strategic moves to fuel e-commerce growth. Government policies, such as the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Act of 2006, provide a legal framework for online transactions while addressing cybersecurity issues. There are also national ICT policies designed to shape the country’s digital economy, including e-commerce.

These efforts, combined with a growing middle class, have made Bangladesh a promising market. A PCMI survey from 2024 revealed that 79% of Bangladeshi consumers have shopped online, and 47% feel comfortable making digital payments.

However, Jiji won’t have the market to itself. It will be going up against big names like Daraz, Bikroy, and Ajkerdeal—companies that already have strong brand recognition and consumer trust. To win over Bangladeshi shoppers, Jiji will need to stand out with localized offerings and strategic partnerships, much like it did in Africa.

Since its launch in 2014, Jiji has found success by adapting to market needs. In Nigeria, it gained traction by offering free listings to first-time users and preloading its app on budget-friendly smartphones through partnerships with phone manufacturers. In 2016, the company struck a deal with Airtel to allow users to browse the platform without using data.

Jiji’s aggressive expansion strategy has also played a key role in its growth. In 2019, the company raised $21 million and acquired OLX Africa, taking over operations in Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Uganda, and Tanzania. This gave Jiji access to a combined market of 300 million people. In 2021, Jiji acquired Cars45, a platform for buying and selling used cars in Nigeria, Kenya, and Ghana. The next year, it took over Tonaton, its main competitor in Ghana.

The strategy has worked well in Africa, and Jiji is now hoping to replicate that success in Asia. The question is: can it carve out space in Bangladesh’s competitive e-commerce landscape? Time will tell, but if history is any indication, Jiji knows how to play the long game.