Chowdeck at the Centre of Nigeria’s Food Delivery Boom with CEO Femi Aluko

The Upside Podcast is hosted by Kristie Neo and Tage Kene-Okafor. We speak with the most ambitious, driven entrepreneurs, builders and investors in global emerging markets. Today, we speak with Femi Aluko, co-founder and CEO of Nigeria's top food delivery platform that just raised $9 million in Series A from Novastar and YC. Joining the conversation is Osarumen Omonuyi, founder of publications Subtxt and Foodpod—the latter exploring the intersection of technology and food in Africa. (⁠https://foodpod.substack.com/p/1-magi...) We discuss the evolution of the food delivery ecosystem in Nigeria and Chowdeck at the center of it, navigating tough macroeconomic conditions and competition against rivals and people's pockets. Timestamp: (00:00) Introduction to Food Delivery in Nigeria (01:26) The Rise of Chowdeck and Local Context (06:17) Consumer Behavior Post-COVID (09:17) Market Dynamics and Competition (13:05) Growth Potential and Market Size (19:53) Comparative Analysis with Other Markets (24:12) Infrastructure and Delivery Challenges (25:44) Technical Difficulties and Initial Thoughts (26:47) Understanding Local Market Nuances (28:37) Onboarding Restaurants for Delivery (31:52) Market Expansion and Future Plans (33:07) Predictions for the Food Delivery Landscape (36:39) Challenges Faced by Restaurants (40:10) Exploring Quick Commerce Strategies (44:00) Embracing Competition and Regulatory Challenges