By Pascal Oparada
Social Media/Tech Reporter
Golden State Warrior star, Andre Iguodala has joined the board of Africa’s e-commerce giant, Jumia.
The NBA star, whose father is Nigerian, said he is proud to join the e-commerce company because of his African roots and wants to make sure the company is Africa-centric.
“For me, it’s really important because I have a lot of roots in Africa with my father being from Nigeria,” Iguodala told TechCrunch.
“I’m proud of that and willing to do a lot of things with a company that’s on the forefront of the e-commerce space as a whole,” he said.
He said that talks are ongoing at Jumia to make sure the company projects African culture in the way it attracts talents and among the hierarchy of the company.
“We’re having conversations about diversity and making sure the African culture is in the company, and Sacha is doing a great job with that,” Iguodala said.
“I want to make sure we’re hiring from within and making sure the people we’re affecting and helping are involved with the company as far as hires go,” he said.
In the African tech scene, there is an ongoing conversation about the domination of ‘westerners’ in its ecosystem. And this is what Iguodala hopes will change at Jumia whose CEOs are non-Africans.
“I’m trying to incorporate the roots of Africa within the company and continue to expand and get people on the platform. There’s so much room for growth — not just for the company but for the continent.”
“That’s definitely something that’s been on my radar,” Iguodala said.
He pointed to how Africa has a wealth of natural resources, including oil, natural gas, gold, diamonds and more.
“Everyone is about growth and where they align themselves financially,” he said. “You can do it morally the right way.”
Andre Tyler Iguodala is an NBA Champion and Finals MVP currently signed with the Golden State Warriors. He advises Twice, a startup acquired by eBay in 2015.
