Chowdeck, a Lagos-based food delivery startup, has raised $9 million in Series A funding to launch a quick commerce strategy and expand into more cities in Nigeria and Ghana. The company has managed to stay profitable in a notoriously tough and low-margin market, a rare feat in the industry.
The equity round was led by Novastar Ventures, with participation from Y Combinator, AAIC Investment, Rebel Fund, GFR Fund, Kaleo, HoaQ, and others. Investors are backing the team’s ability to combine local market expertise with strong execution, aiming to transform a challenging sector into a profitable super app for food, groceries, and essentials.
CEO and co-founder Femi Aluko expressed excitement about the funding, stating that it brings the company closer to its vision of becoming Africa’s top super app. The investment will fuel expansion into new cities, faster delivery times, scaling grocery services, and attracting top talent to drive innovation and customer satisfaction.
Founded in October 2021 by Femi Aluko, Olumide Ojo, and Lanre Yusuf, Chowdeck now operates in 11 cities across Nigeria and Ghana, serving 1.5 million customers with a network of over 20,000 riders. The company’s logistics system averages 30 minutes per order, with bicycles handling more than half of deliveries in dense areas.
While other major players have exited or scaled back operations in Africa, Chowdeck has focused on delivering local meals—a more operationally complex challenge—to build customer trust. In 2024, the value of meals delivered through Chowdeck grew sixfold from the previous year, and the company surpassed its 2024 total before July 2025.
The new funding will support the rollout of quick commerce, featuring ultra-fast delivery powered by dark stores and hyperlocal logistics hubs. Chowdeck plans to open 40 dark stores by the end of 2025 and 500 by the end of 2026, launching two to three new stores each week. The company previously raised a $2.5 million seed round last year.
Food delivery is a competitive industry globally, with successful examples like DoorDash. Quick commerce, however, has been a capital-intensive gamble in many markets, with European players like Gorillas and Getir struggling before retreating. In India, platforms such as Blinkit, Zepto, and Swiggy have seen mixed success in achieving profitability.
Chowdeck has remained profitable before this raise, with a strategy of entering new cities or verticals only when breakeven is achievable within weeks. For example, after launching in Ghana in May 2025, the company reached 1,000 daily orders within three months without paid advertising, driven by demand for local and international cuisines. The goal is to increase this volume to 5,000 daily orders by September 2025.
The company also plans to expand its software offerings. In June 2025, Chowdeck acquired Mira, a point-of-sale provider for African food and hospitality businesses. Mira’s real-time inventory and order management tools will help optimize Chowdeck’s operations, positioning the company as a vertical SaaS-plus-logistics provider for restaurants.
Chowdeck’s success is a win for local players in the sector, especially after Jumia’s exit left market share to foreign brands like Glovo, Bolt Food, and Yango. However, some of these competitors have since withdrawn from markets like Nigeria and Ghana, which Chowdeck is aggressively targeting. Other African super apps, such as Gozem, Yassir, and MNT-Halan, also offer food delivery services in various regions.
CEO Femi Aluko noted that the market is still in its early stages, with customer behavior shifting online for the first time. A new generation is growing up ordering food without ever visiting the restaurants or markets on the platform.
Novastar Ventures, the lead investor, emphasized Chowdeck’s execution and local insight. Partner Brian Waswani Odhiambo stated that the company is redefining last-mile delivery in African cities with a sustainability-first approach and impressive operational performance.