The Empower Africa Business Platform is Now Live !!!
This strategic expansion promises to empower local entrepreneurs, small and medium-sized businesses, and brand owners while delivering an unmatched shopping experience to consumers.
More than 60% of Amazon’s sales emanate from independent sellers, the majority of which are small and medium-sized enterprises, rendering a vast selection of products, competitive pricing, and exceptional convenience for consumers.
This significant step is poised to bolster the South African business landscape while facilitating an enriched shopping experience.
One of the standout features accompanying this announcement is Amazon’s introduction of generative AI capabilities to aid sellers in crafting compelling and effective product listings.
This groundbreaking technology aims to assist shoppers in seamlessly discovering the products they seek while augmenting the efficiency of the selling process.
“We look forward to launching Amazon.co.za in South Africa, providing local sellers, brand owners, and entrepreneurs—small and large—the opportunity to grow their business with Amazon, and deliver great value and a convenient shopping experience for customers across South Africa,” stated Robert Koen, general manager of the Sub-Saharan Africa region for Amazon.
The impending launch of Amazon.co.za in 2024 holds the promise of enabling independent sellers across South Africa to swiftly launch, grow, and scale their businesses while harnessing the innovative capabilities provided by Amazon.
The announcement sets the stage for a transformative phase in South Africa’s e-commerce landscape, opening doors to limitless opportunities for local businesses and customers alike.

Egypt-based e-commerce enablement startup Flextock has secured $12.6 million in a Series A funding round as it looks to deepen its footprint in the Middle East and North Africa’s fast-growing online retail market.

Malian agritech and climate-insurance startup, OKO, has secured a new round of investment led by Catalyst Fund, with backing from two of its earlier backers.

BluePeak Private Capital, a private capital firm focused on supporting the growth of scalable businesses in Africa, has reached a final close of its Private Capital Fund SCSp at $156 million.