Russia’s largest online retailer has launched operations in Ethiopia, offering Ethiopian producers access to a digital marketplace serving millions of international customers.
Founded in 2004, Wildberries has grown to become Russia’s foremost online retailer over the past two decades. The company recorded nearly USD two billion in revenue in 2018 and gross merchandise value of more than USD 70 billion last year.
The company operates across nearly a dozen countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Azerbaijan, and Armenia.Wildberries envisions Ethiopia as its first African market to provide local merchants immediate access to a proven international e-commerce infrastructure, with its executives eyeing direct exports of goods such as coffee, textiles, and leather products.
Wildberries’ expansion follows a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with Ethiopian Investment Holdings in November 2025 to develop the nation’s e-commerce infrastructure, and marks a significant milestone in Ethiopia’s long relationship with Russia.A statement issued following the launch ceremony at the Hyatt Regency earlier this week indicates EIH and Wildberries are considering the establishment of a joint venture. It also notes that the Russian retailer has a strategic partnership with Ethio Post, one of the state-owned enterprises in the EIH portfolio.“Ethiopost is a key logistics partner for Wildberries, and we plan to work together to facilitate local deliveries as well as developing storage, processing, and last-mile capabilities in Ethiopia,” Wildberries representatives said during the event. “One of the top priorities for Wildberries in Ethiopia is to roll out the marketplace domestically – so that Ethiopian customers and sellers can use the platform for online sales within the country.”
Yidnekachew Worku , a state minister of Trade, said Ethiopia’s postal service has undergone major reforms to reposition itself as an e-commerce transporter, establishing a comprehensive link with Wildberries to collect products from across the country.“This integrated system utilizes local Ethio-Post kiosks as strategic storage points where merchants can drop off goods for international delivery,” he said.
The Minister also addressed the ongoing effort to align the nation’s legal and regulatory frameworks with modern digital trade requirements, praising new measures from the central bank for creating an enabling environment.
Source – Reuters
