If you’ve been looking to get into Amazon, this might just be your lucky season. Although open vacancies have not been announced, Amazon’s latest move has suggested that there might just be new openings for new employees, so you might want to be on the lookout for news. Let me let you know what’s going on with Amazon, but you should read this before you proceed.
What’s the gist on Amazon?
In a BusinessInsider report released on Friday, 17th of June, the global e-commerce tech giant was reported to be making expansions into major markets across Africa, Europe, and South America, between 2022 and 2023. For Africa, it will launch in Nigeria and South Africa, as both countries will share the same codename project; Project Fela. Amazon, already operating in 20 different countries, is set towards long-term growth across its new markers while upscaling its US base.
The report also stated that all new base countries will launch their marketplace alongside access to Amazon’s fulfillment service, ‘Fulfillment by Amazon’. Amazon’s Prime membership program will launch first in Belgium, and launch in other countries shortly after their introductions.
This will not be its first time in Africa anyway. In 2016, its Prime Video streaming service expanded to Nigeria to service video streaming subscribers in the country. Plus, its Amazon Web Services (AWS) product has been a major tool for local business enterprises for years. This time, however, the company might be establishing a physical presence in its new markets, although not much has been said about this. While this expansion might be a threat to e-commerce platforms like Konga and Jumia; on the flip side, there might just be new openings for skills and talents in the region.
Will there be open for slots for new employees?
Well, in this report from Rest of World, Amazon has been doing some silent hiring in Lagos, hinting at the announced expansion. “The company has also hired a major advertising agency to work on its first push for Prime Video subscribers in Nigeria, while also investing in production and licensing deals with local film and television studios”, Rest of World reports. If Amazon will be opening physical offices here in Nigeria and South Africa, there just might be a high recruitment drive across all levels. Yet, in recent times, remote working has gained prominence, especially in tech spaces, and this could be an alternative Amazon will be exploring as it spreads its tentacles to Nigeria and South Africa.
Other countries to host the new expansion include Belgium (Project Red Devil, slated for September 2022), Columbia (Project Salsa, slated for February 2023), sharing the same codename with Chile, which is slated to launch in April 2023. Project Fela is slated for February 2023 in South Africa, and April 2023 in Nigeria.
This is going to be a major competition for already existing e-commerce platforms, and also a major victory for the Nigerian economy. Amazon is a global leader in e-commerce and this expansion will only help to solidify its position in the African market. And as it gains grounds on the continent, it could require more skills and talents to optimize growth, reach, and impact. A drive you can be a part of.