Jumia taps Axian Telecoms CEO for key board role

Jumia will appoint one of its key investors, Axian Telecom, to its supervisory board, filling a crucial vacancy as the Africa-focused e-commerce company navigates a challenging market.

The company has petitioned to have Hassanein Hiridjee, CEO at Axian Telecom, join its supervisory board effective immediately for the 2025 financial year. The move comes after the board’s membership fell below the six members required by its articles of association, following the resignations of Elizabeth J. Huebner in September 2024 and Angela Kaya Mwanza in June 2025.

Under German law, where Jumia is registered, a court can appoint members if a company’s supervisory board remains understaffed for more than three months.

The appointment deepens the ties between Jumia and Axian, an African telecommunications powerhouse. In June, Axian disclosed it had acquired an 8% stake in Jumia, positioning itself as a significant minority shareholder. The investment was framed as a strategic move to bolster Axian’s digital and fintech footprint across the continent, leveraging Jumia’s established e-commerce and logistics infrastructure.

Hiridjee’s appointment signals a more direct role for Axian in the governance and strategic direction of Jumia. It brings a board member with extensive experience in the African telecom and digital services sector at a time when Jumia is striving for profitability and seeking to integrate its services, including its JumiaPay fintech platform, more deeply into the continent’s growing digital economy.

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