New report ranks Nigeria above Kenya, SA in online spending, app usage

According to the Broll Shopper Segmentation Report 2016 Volume 1, experienced Nigerian consumers are ahead of the curve when it comes to online shopping compared to consumers in Kenya and South Africa.

“Nigerians purchase online more often with 64% saying online shopping is advantageous with another 83% regularly using the shopping centre app for specials and/or product searches,” said the divisional director for Research, Broll Property Group, Elaine Wilson.

Online shopping is generally dominated by a growing internet savvy generation, who are price conscious and can easily do online research to compare prices and deals, she explained.

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Also, shoppers in the Abuja area are described as window shoppers who look for bargains and always buy the same brands while their counterparts in Lagos are experienced shoppers who plan their shopping trips and also regard themselves as smart shoppers, reveals the report.

“Nigerian consumers are very sophisticated and are used to shopping internationally particularly in the UK, US, South Africa and Dubai and they regularly compare product ranges and prices for the best deals both locally and internationally,” said Bolaji Edu, CEO Broll Nigeria.

Edu stated that over the last decade, the retail Nigerian sector has grown and there is currently about 290,000m2 of retail space in the main commercial cities of Abuja and Lagos.

However, he adds, despite this growth and with new mall developments, retail remains under provided for in Nigeria compared to other African countries with similar GDP per capita.