Chowdeck Bags $9M to Boost Quick Commerce in Africa

Nigerian food delivery company Chowdeck has secured $9 million in Series A funding to accelerate its push into quick commerce and strengthen its presence in Nigeria and Ghana. The funding round, led by Novastar Ventures, drew participation from Y Combinator, AAIC Investment, Rebel Fund, GFR Fund, Kaleo, and HoaQ, among others.

Founded in 2021 by Femi Aluko, Olumide Ojo, and Lanre Yusuf, Chowdeck has grown into a profitable operation, delivering to 1.5 million customers across 11 cities with over 20,000 riders. The company prides itself on an average 30-minute delivery time, with more than half of dense-city orders fulfilled by bicycle — a nod to its sustainability goals.

“We want to build Africa’s leading super app for food and essentials,” said CEO Femi Aluko, adding that the new funding will help the company expand to more cities, slash delivery times, and grow its grocery operations while attracting top talent.

Quick Commerce Strategy Gains Momentum

The company’s next phase of growth will be driven by dark stores and hyperlocal logistics hubs. Plans include opening 40 stores by the end of 2025 and scaling to 500 by 2026, with two to three new locations launching weekly. This approach proved successful in Ghana, where Chowdeck entered in May 2025 and hit 1,000 daily orders within three months — without paid advertising.

Novastar Ventures described the startup as “building the future of logistics for African cities” with strong execution and a sustainability-first model. The investor confidence comes on the back of Chowdeck’s swift growth, with the value of meals delivered in 2024 exceeding six times that of 2023, and 2025 figures already surpassing last year’s total before mid-year.

Tech-Driven Growth and Market Positioning

In June, Chowdeck acquired Mira, a point-of-sale platform for African food and hospitality businesses, signalling its ambitions beyond delivery. By integrating software into restaurant operations, the company aims to position itself as both a logistics powerhouse and a vertical SaaS provider.

The funding follows last year’s $2.5 million seed round and arrives at a time when the African food delivery market is shifting. With Jumia Food’s exit and global rivals like Glovo, Bolt Food, and Yango scaling back, homegrown platforms such as Chowdeck, Gozem, Yassir, and MNT-Halan are competing for dominance in the evolving super app space.