While the global construction technology sector continues to mature, there’s a fascinating story unfolding in Africa that deserves attention. Meet Kagure Wamunyu, the civil engineer turned tech entrepreneur who’s revolutionizing how construction materials flow across Kenya and beyond through her company, Jumba.


TL;DR: 

Jumba is leading the construction technology revolution in Africa by transforming how materials reach builders

  • The opportunity: Construction contributes 5%+ of Kenya’s GDP with massive infrastructure demand
  • The challenge: Centralized manufacturing vs. distributed development creates supply chain gaps
  • The solution: B2B marketplace + SaaS platform connecting manufacturers to 700+ hardware stores
  • The innovation: Mobile money integration, AI-powered quotations, and end-to-end logistics
  • Key insight: African markets require building multiple integrated solutions due to limited infrastructure
  • The future: Expanding from basic materials to finishes, becoming Africa’s go-to construction platform

 

In this episode, Kagure Wamunyu shares how African tech companies must build entire ecosystems from scratch, why 60% of Kenya’s GDP runs on mobile money, and how construction distribution works in emerging markets.

 

From Uber’s Excel Sheets to Construction Innovation

Kagure’s journey into construction technology began in an unexpected place: Uber’s Nairobi office in 2015. As the ride-hailing giant struggled to gain traction in Kenya with its credit card-based payment system, Kagure championed a radical idea – integrate mobile money payments through M-Pesa, Kenya’s ubiquitous mobile wallet system.

“We ran Uber on Excel sheets,” Kagure recalls of those early days. “Drivers would take trips, we’d run a script and reconcile on Excel sheets, then have drivers line up to reconcile with their mobile money.” This manual process, while tedious, unlocked Nairobi as Uber’s first 100% cash market globally.

The experience taught Kagure two crucial lessons that would shape her approach to construction technology: adapt your ideas to the market, and don’t be afraid to experiment with manual processes before perfecting the technology.


The African Construction Challenge

After her Uber experience, Kagure dove into real estate development as a side business – a common practice in Kenya’s “side hustle culture.” What she discovered was a construction ecosystem riddled with inefficiencies. Banks were terrified of construction loans due to long payment cycles. Finding qualified architects and engineers was challenging since they couldn’t legally advertise. And perhaps most frustrating, construction material prices could vary by 300% depending on whether you looked like you knew what you were doing.

“If you walk in and look like you don’t know what the price is, it can be three times higher because we have the bargaining, haggling kind of culture,” Kagure explains. This experience, combined with her civil engineering background and her father’s contracting business, made her realize that construction was ripe for technological disruption.


Building for the African Market

What makes Jumba particularly interesting isn’t just what it does, but how it addresses the unique characteristics of the African construction market. Unlike Western markets where you might focus on a single point solution, African startups often need to build end-to-end systems.

“When you’re building in Africa, you have to build for your own ecosystem,” Kagure notes. “You somehow have to also build for your logistics because you don’t really have that advanced company that has figured out warehousing and logistics. So you end up building multiple products that would be different businesses in other markets.”

Jumba operates as both a B2B marketplace and a SaaS provider, connecting manufacturers of cement, steel, and wire products to over 700 hardware stores across Kenya. But it’s much more than a simple marketplace – it’s a complete ecosystem that includes:

  • Distribution logistics: Jumba handles the physical movement of materials from manufacturers to retailers
  • AI-powered quotations: Converting WhatsApp photos of handwritten quotes into digital orders
  • Mobile money integration: Leveraging M-Pesa’s widespread adoption for seamless payments
  • Fleet management: Real-time tracking of delivery trucks across the country

 


The Mobile Money Revolution

One of the most fascinating aspects of Jumba’s operation is how it leverages Kenya’s mobile money ecosystem. M-Pesa, the mobile wallet tied to phone numbers, processes over 60% of Kenya’s GDP. This isn’t just convenient – it’s transformative for a construction industry where traditional banking relationships are often strained.

“You buy things in the supermarket using mobile money. You pay for your Uber using mobile money. You pay for public transport. You buy vegetables by the roadside using mobile money,” Kagure explains. This infrastructure allows Jumba to serve customers who might not have traditional bank accounts but are fully integrated into the digital economy.


Strategic Product Expansion

Jumba’s approach to product expansion reflects a deep understanding of logistics economics. Starting with cement – a high-volume, low-margin commodity – allowed them to establish efficient distribution routes. Steel and wire products followed, creating bundled orders that maximize truck utilization.

“The thinking here was the volumes. You have to be able to create efficient distribution – you’ve got to have the ability to move trucks into multiple areas of the country,” Kagure explains. “The bulky products allow you to move the truck because the transport component can pay for the load.”

This foundation enables expansion into higher-margin finishes like tiles, where the technology value proposition becomes even stronger. Instead of just optimizing logistics, Jumba can provide comparison tools, visual catalogs, and sophisticated product selection capabilities.


The SaaS Evolution

Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of Jumba’s development is how their internal operational challenges led to a standalone SaaS product. Building technology to manage their own quotations, order tracking, and logistics created a platform that other manufacturers and distributors desperately needed.

“They have an ERP system at best. After that, everything runs on WhatsApp,” Kagure notes about traditional construction material companies. “Orders are posted by the sales team on WhatsApp groups that have directors, then they forward it to the finance team.” Jumba’s SaaS platform transforms this chaos into structured, trackable processes.

The Broader African Opportunity

Kenya’s position as one of Africa’s four major tech hubs (alongside Nigeria, South Africa, and Egypt) gives Jumba a strategic advantage. But rather than jumping between major markets, Kagure advocates for a more nuanced expansion strategy focused on regional trade relationships.

“The power is actually in not moving from Kenya to Nigeria. It’s really thinking about who does Kenya trade with, what markets are similar to Kenya,” she explains. This approach leverages existing trade routes and relationships rather than trying to establish entirely new market presence.

Female Founder in Construction

As a female founder in the male-dominated construction industry, Kagure brings a unique perspective to the challenges and opportunities. Her civil engineering background provides technical credibility, while her recent experience as a new mother adds another layer of complexity to startup leadership.

“Having a team that is able to work with you, having systems such that the business doesn’t run because of you – that’s very critical,” she reflects on balancing motherhood with entrepreneurship. “You learn to say no to things that you don’t think are necessary and create time for your business and your baby.”

The Future of African Construction Technology

Jumba’s vision extends beyond Kenya to become “the go-to partner for construction materials in Africa.” This ambition reflects both the enormous opportunity and the unique challenges of the African market. With infrastructure deficits across the continent and governments increasingly focused on development, the demand for efficient construction material distribution is massive.

The company’s approach – combining marketplace mechanics with SaaS tools, mobile money integration, and end-to-end logistics – represents a uniquely African solution to construction challenges. It’s not just about digitalizing existing processes; it’s about building entirely new infrastructure to support a growing economy.