Lagos, Nigeria – In Africa’s fast-changing food delivery scene, Chowdeck has just secured $9 million in Series A funding to supercharge its quick commerce strategy and expand across Nigeria and Ghana. The funding, led by Novastar Ventures with participation from Y Combinator and other notable investors, positions the Lagos-based startup to scale faster than ever before.
A Rapidly Growing Contender in African Food Delivery
Founded in 2021 by Femi Aluko, Olumide Ojo, and Lanre Yusuf, Chowdeck connects customers with restaurants, grocery stores, and pharmacies, delivering meals, essentials, and groceries in record time. The company already operates in 11 cities including Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Ibadan, Accra, and more — serving over 1.5 million customers with a network of 20,000+ riders.
Currently averaging 30-minute deliveries, Chowdeck has built partnerships with brands like KFC, Burger King, and a wide range of local food vendors offering African, Asian, and healthy cuisine.
The Strategic Push into Quick Commerce
The Series A funds will drive Chowdeck’s ambitious rollout of ultra-fast delivery supported by a network of “dark stores” — micro-fulfillment hubs stocked for rapid order dispatch. The company plans to open 40 dark stores by the end of this year, scaling to 500 by 2026 at a pace of two to three new stores per week.
CEO Femi Aluko says the goal is to transform Chowdeck into “Africa’s number one super app,” expanding grocery coverage, reducing delivery times, and attracting top talent to drive innovation.
Rising After the Competition’s Exit
Interestingly, Chowdeck’s growth trajectory was boosted by the 2023 exits of Jumia Food and Bolt Food from the Nigerian market. With both major players stepping aside, Glovo became Chowdeck’s main competitor — and the startup seized the opportunity to rapidly increase market share.
By late 2023, Chowdeck’s Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) hit over N7 billion ($5.8M), with Lagos alone generating 80% of its volumes. In October 2023, the company processed over N1 billion in orders for the first time — doubling that to N2.4 billion by March 2024.
Ghana Expansion Outpacing Nigeria
Earlier this year, Chowdeck made its first international move into Ghana, achieving 1,000 daily orders within just three months — a milestone that took 11 months in Nigeria. This early success signals strong demand in new markets and validates the startup’s regional strategy.
More Than Just Deliveries Building Infrastructure
Chowdeck’s platform goes beyond consumer convenience. The company supports vendors with strict service standards (like accepting orders within five minutes) and empowers riders with reliable income opportunities. On the tech side, it uses geotagging, automated demand forecasting, and diverse delivery methods (from bicycles to motorbikes) to keep operations efficient and predictable.
Why This Matters
Quick commerce is emerging as one of the most competitive sectors in African tech, with logistics and speed as critical differentiators. While giants like Uber Eats dominate globally, African startups like Chowdeck are proving that local expertise, operational efficiency, and market adaptability can win in highly fragmented urban markets.
If successful, Chowdeck could become a blueprint for scaling tech-enabled logistics and e-commerce services across Africa — not just for food delivery, but potentially for retail, health, and financial services in a super app model.
Final Takeaway
With $9M in fresh funding, a proven growth model, and a market suddenly less crowded with big-name competitors, Chowdeck is racing to own the African quick commerce space. Whether it can maintain speed, quality, and profitability while scaling will be the real test.
What do you think? Could Chowdeck’s quick commerce model redefine on-demand delivery in Africa, or will new competitors disrupt the race?
