Chowdeck

Chowdeck is a Lagos-based on-demand delivery platform launched in October 2021 by three former Paystack engineers: Femi Aluko (CEO), Olumide Ojo (CTO) and Lanre Yusuf (COO). It connects customers with restaurants, grocery vendors and pharmacies, and built its edge on speed, in-house logistics and a model designed for Nigerian cities. It has stayed profitable in a low-margin sector, and it gained ground as rivals such as Jumia Food and Bolt Food exited the market.

Backed by Y Combinator, Chowdeck raised a $2.5 million seed round in 2024 and a $9 million Series A led by Novastar Ventures in August 2025. At that point it operated in 11 cities across Nigeria and Ghana, serving 1.5 million customers through more than 20,000 riders, with deliveries averaging about 30 minutes. Ghana, its first market outside Nigeria, launched in May 2025 and reached 1,000 daily orders within three months.

The company is now moving into quick commerce, using dark stores and hyperlocal hubs for groceries and household essentials. It set targets of 40 dark stores by the end of 2025 and 500 by the end of 2026. Headcount had reached 259 by August 2026. With Aluko aiming to build Africa's leading super app, Chowdeck is one of the consumer brands to watch in 2027.