Chowdeck raises US$9M to speed up food and grocery deliveries in Nigeria and Ghana

NIGERIA/GHANA – Chowdeck has secured US$9 million in Series A funding to grow its food, grocery, and household essentials delivery service in Nigeria and Ghana.

The funding round was led by Novastar Ventures, with participation from Y Combinator, AAIC Investment, Rebel Fund, GFR Fund, Kaleo, HoaQ, and others.

Chief Executive and co-founder Femi Aluko said the company will use the investment to move into new cities, reduce delivery times, and hire more skilled workers.

“This funding brings us closer to our vision of becoming Africa’s number one super app,” Aluko said. “We’ll expand into more cities, cut delivery times, grow our grocery network, and bring in top talent to keep innovating for our customers.”

Chowdeck is building a network of dark stores and hyperlocal logistics hubs to make deliveries within minutes. The company plans to open 40 dark stores by the end of 2025 and reach 500 by the end of 2026. Management aims to add two to three dark stores every week.

This model mirrors its fast growth in Ghana, where it launched in May 2025. Within three months, Chowdeck reached 1,000 daily orders without paid advertising.

According to Novastar Ventures, the company represents “the future of logistics for African cities” because of its focus on sustainable operations and cost discipline.

In 2024, Chowdeck delivered more than six times the value of meals compared to 2023, and it surpassed that amount before mid-2025. The Series A round comes after a US$2.5 million seed investment last year.

Tech and market moves

In June, Chowdeck acquired Mira, a point-of-sale platform for African restaurants and hospitality businesses. This move allows the company to offer software services alongside its logistics network, giving restaurant partners a single point for delivery and sales management.

The company’s growth comes as foreign rivals such as Glovo, Bolt Food, and Yango have scaled back in Africa. The exit of Jumia Food has also opened space for regional players like Gozem, Yassir, and MNT-Halan. Chowdeck is betting that speed and local execution will give it an advantage in this market.

Heyfood, another Y Combinator-backed startup, has chosen a different growth path. Last year it moved into Abuja and Benin while avoiding the crowded Lagos market.

A spokesperson said this approach lets the company focus on “more manageable environments” and build a strong presence before entering Lagos.

Both Chowdeck and Heyfood show how local players are shaping Africa’s food delivery sector with strategies built for regional market realities.

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