E-commerce in Ghana Statistics and Trends for Businesses

Are you looking for data to back your e-commerce in Ghana business project? This article gives you the latest available data on e-commerce in Ghana.

The landscape of e-commerce in Ghana has witnessed consistent growth in recent years, driven by factors such as widespread internet access and payment services. As of 2023, the e-commerce market’s penetration rate reached 12.52 percent, showing an upward trajectory from 12.4 percent in 2018. Projections indicate a further increase to nearly 17 percent by 2028. The number of internet users in Ghana has also risen steadily, with close to 10 million individuals making digital payments in 2023, contributing significantly to the overall monetary value of digital transactions.

The e-commerce market revenue in Ghana experienced an estimated eight percent increase from 2022 to 2023. Notably, the highest revenue was observed in the fashion and electronics segments during this period, highlighting the growing importance of these categories in the online marketplace.

The emergence and development of online marketplaces have played a pivotal role in shaping Ghana’s e-commerce landscape. Tonaton.com, established in 2013, and Jumia Ghana, launched a year later, along with Jiji Ghana, are currently the leading online shopping platforms in the country. In 2020, nearly 50 million people accessed online marketplaces in Ghana, indicating sustained growth over the years. Although there was a slight decrease compared to the previous year, it underscored the continuous expansion of e-commerce.

Mobile devices, particularly smartphones and tablets, dominate the devices used to access online marketplaces, constituting over 75 percent of user preferences in 2020. Despite a decline in the overall number of users in 2020 compared to the previous year, the data signifies the increasing reliance on mobile devices for online shopping. Additionally, more men than women were observed to utilize online marketplaces.

In terms of online search behaviour, Google emerged as the predominant search engine in Ghana in 2023. Consumers often utilized search engines and social networks for brand research, with electronics and general retail categories emerging as the most browsed e-commerce websites. The average monthly traffic for the electronics e-commerce category exceeded nine million visits in 2022, whereas the fashion category reached 141,000.

Online consumer behaviour in Ghana involves various activities, such as purchasing new or second-hand products, comparing prices, ordering groceries, or utilizing buy-now-pay-later services. Around 24 percent of users purchased a product or service online in the third quarter of 2022. Digital privacy is a priority for the online population, with many either remaining anonymous when using online services or rejecting cookies to protect their privacy. The data provides valuable insights into the preferences and trends shaping Ghana’s dynamic e-commerce landscape.