Chowdeck raises $9 million to launch quick commerce strategy and expand operations

Chowdeck, the YC-backed Nigerian on-demand delivery platform, has raised $9 million in Series A funding to launch a quick commerce strategy and expand into more cities in Nigeria and Ghana. The equity round was led by Novastar Ventures, with participation from Y Combinator, AAIC Investment, Rebel Fund, GFR Fund, Kaleo, HoaQ, and others.

The raise comes two months after the startup acquired Mira, a point of sale (POS) founded in 2023 by Flutterwave alumnus Ted Oladele and Paystack’s Olaseike Ibojo. The deal added Mira’s inventory management, payment processing, and inventory financing tools to Chowdeck’s delivery ecosystem.

“We’re thrilled about this round as it brings us closer to our vision of becoming Africa’s number one super app,” CEO and co-founder Femi Aluko said in a statement. “This funding will supercharge our growth plans, enabling us to expand into more cities, reduce delivery times, scale our grocery footprint, and attract the best talent to drive innovation and customer satisfaction.”

Founded in October 2021, Chowdeck has emerged as a formidable player in Nigeria’s competitive $1 billion food delivery market, which is projected to grow to $2.4 billion by 2032, according to IMARC. Aluko notes that the profitable company’s policy is to enter new cities or sectors only when it can break even within weeks.

Chowdeck recently surpassed 1,000 orders in a single day in Ghana, just three months after launching operations in Accra, a milestone that took 11 months to reach back home.

“Chowdeck is building the future of logistics for African cities by creating a platform that benefits consumers, vendors and riders alike,” said Brian Waswani Odhiambo, Partner at Novastar Ventures, said. “With deep local insight, a sustainability-first approach and impressive execution, Chowdeck is redefining last-mile delivery on the continent.”

Chowdeck’s latest funding marks a boost for local operators in the industry, following Jumia’s exit, which handed market share to foreign players like Glovo, Bolt Food, and Yango. However, some of these international brands have also scaled back in certain markets — including Nigeria and Ghana — where Chowdeck is now pushing for rapid expansion.

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