Jiji Reports 70% Surge in Used-Item Searches as Kenya’s Pre-Loved Economy Booms
Kenya's second-hand economy surges online as Jiji records 14.7 million used-item searches in first quarter of 2026...
✨ Key Highlights
Searches for used items on Kenya's Jiji platform surged by 70% in the first quarter of 2026, indicating a booming pre-loved economy driven by affordability and digital access.
- Over 14.7 million unique searches for used items were recorded on Jiji Kenya in just three months.
- The trend is attributed to Kenya's inflation rate and constrained household incomes, making pre-owned goods a "smarter financial decision."
- Electronics, vehicles, and household goods are the top-selling categories, with Jiji investing in ecosystem growth and seller training.
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Novastar Closes $147M Fund III to Back Climate-Focused African Startups - May 2026
Novastar Ventures has successfully closed its Africa People and Planet Fund III (NVIII) at $147 million, making it one of the largest venture capital funds dedicated to Africa. The fund will back climate-focused startups across the continent. Meanwhile, Spotify and ONErpm held a two-day Fresh Finds workshop in Nairobi aimed at nurturing emerging artists from East Africa, providing them with industry knowledge and distribution opportunities. In a separate development, Jiji reported a 70% surge in searches for used items during the first quarter of 2026, indicating growth in Kenya's pre-loved economy driven by affordability and digital access. These developments collectively highlight increasing investor and platform interest in Africa's digital and climate innovation sectors.
