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By Liz Anyango
Nairobi, Kenya: Across Africa, many in the construction industry including developers, contractors, and homeowners alike, face a complex challenge when sourcing materials.
Consider a Nairobi-based builder who needs cement for a Machakos site; they often encounter scattered suppliers, opaque pricing, and unreliable deliveries. Similarly, a Kenyan managing a renovation from abroad grapples with ensuring timely, cost-effective, and quality material arrivals.
This is the challenge Jumba, a revolutionary construction materials app, is solving. Operational in Kenya since 2022, Jumba has connected thousands of customers with hundreds of verified suppliers across 40 of Kenya’s 47 counties.
“Our goal is simple,” says Kagure Wamunyu, Jumba CEO. “We want every builder, contractor, and homeowner to order materials easily, transparently, and confidently, whether they are in Mombasa or managing a project from abroad.”
The app addresses long standing inefficiencies in Africa’s construction supply chain. Fragmented supply, opaque pricing, and unreliable deliveries have frustrated buyers for years.
Builders often spend hours moving from shop to shop just to compare prices or verify product quality. Jumba changes that.
According to the Jumba team, the app allows customers to browse materials from verified suppliers, compare prices, and place orders directly from their homes or offices. Payments are secured through the platform, and deliveries are tracked all the way to the construction site.
They add that the platform is also accessible to diaspora clients, who can log in via phone or email and manage purchases without relying on intermediaries. On the supplier side, Jumba enables vendors to self-onboard through a supplier portal, followed by verification visits conducted by the company to ensure product quality and reliability.
“Before Jumba, I spent days chasing clients and negotiating prices repeatedly,” says Peter Mwangi, a Nairobi-based supplier. “Now I sell directly through the app and reach customers I never could before.”
The company emphasizes that beyond convenience, the platform also promotes affordability and reliability by allowing customers to buy directly from vetted suppliers at transparent prices.
Beyond convenience, Jumba promotes affordability and reliability. Customers pay fair prices directly to suppliers, know exactly what they are buying, and get timely deliveries. No more overpaying or wondering if materials will arrive on schedule.
The impact goes beyond saving time and money. Technology is changing the construction landscape. Dr. Charity Wayua, a construction technology advocate, says, “Tech makes the pie bigger for everyone in the construction space. If you can buy groceries online, why not construction materials?”
Peace Osangir, Jumba’s COO, concludes, “Technology no longer follows progress—it leads it. By digitizing the construction sector, we are creating smarter, more efficient solutions for everyone in the industry.”
Available on the Play Store, the Jumba app is designed to be user-friendly; new users can sign up with a phone number or email, verify through a quick OTP code, and begin ordering materials within minutes.
As Africa’s construction needs continue to expand, platforms like Jumba are showing how technology can make building more transparent, reliable, and affordable from contractors in Accra to developers in Lagos and homeowners in Nairobi.
