Pan-African payments technology company Cellulant is in the news again, this time thanks to a partnership with B2C e-commerce platform Copia focused on the Kenyan market.

Copia Global describes itself as the only B2C e-commerce platform providing e-commerce solutions for 800 million middle-to-low-income African consumers.

Remittance inflows to Kenya have increased tenfold in the last 15 years, reaching an all-time high of US$3.72 million dollars in 2021, according to the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK). For many Kenyans, digital payments made by diasporans to rural families provide a financial lifeline to millions of households. Diasporans and people living in urban areas can use Copia’s online platform to pay for goods and have them delivered to friends and family back home.

Copia combines mobile technology, over 40,000 digitally enabled local agents, and an innovative last-mile logistics system to provide a broad product offering and efficient, reliable delivery to rural consumers. The streamlined process enables customers to simply provide the phone number of a friend or family member at checkout and Copia will do the rest, including locating the recipient, identifying the nearest delivery centre agent, and delivering the goods.

This partnership enables Copia’s diaspora and urban customers to conveniently initiate transactions and purchases for their loved ones in rural areas in Kenya using the Cellulant network. This, the partners say, provides greater choice, affordability, and convenience for both urban and rural shoppers when shopping for everyday items.

This agreement may not only be applicable to Kenya, it seems. Tim Steel, Chief Executive Officer, Copia Global, says: “This will enable us to provide diaspora and urban customers with alternative and convenient payment options when they shop on Copia’s platform for friends and family across Kenya and Uganda.”