Chowdeck secures $9m funding to drive expansion in Nigeria, Ghana

Chowdeck secures $9m funding to drive expansion in Nigeria, Ghana

Lagos-based food delivery startup Chowdeck has raised $9 million in a Series A funding round led by Novastar Ventures, with backing from investors including Y Combinator and others. Founded in 2021 by Femi Aluko, Olumide Ojo, and Lanre Yusuf, Chowdeck has remained profitable in the challenging food delivery sector, operating across 11 cities in Nigeria and Ghana and serving 1.5 million customers through over 20,000 riders. The company’s logistics enable average delivery times of 30 minutes, with many deliveries in dense areas made by bicycle.

Chowdeck’s meal delivery value grew more than sixfold in 2024, and it had already exceeded that year’s total by mid-2025. The new capital will fund a quick commerce strategy using dark stores and hyperlocal hubs, with plans to open 40 stores by the end of 2025 and 500 by 2026. After expanding to Ghana in May, Chowdeck quickly reached 1,000 daily orders without advertising and aims for 5,000 daily orders by September 2025. It recently acquired the point-of-sale company Mira to boost restaurant operations.

CEO Femi Aluko highlighted plans to quickly achieve profitability in new markets and use the funding to grow into more cities, cut delivery times, expand grocery delivery, and attract talent. Novastar Ventures praised Chowdeck’s local knowledge, sustainability focus, and execution ability, seeing it as a leading player in African logistics. This funding round represents a notable success for a local startup in a market where many global competitors have scaled back operations.