Nigerian food delivery startup Chowdeck, which has quickly risen to prominence in its home market, is gearing up for its international debut in Ghana this March.

According to TechCabal, the four-year-old company, celebrated for reaching one million users and processing transactions worth about ₦30 billion (roughly US$20 million) in 2024, now plans to expand its services to 52 cities across Nigeria and beyond by the end of the year.

A source close to the business, speaking on condition of anonymity, summed up the company’s ambitions succinctly: “Chowdeck wants all of Africa.” CEO Femi Aluko has echoed this sentiment in recent interviews, revealing that the startup envisions evolving into a dominant “super app” that allows customers to order anything, anywhere on the continent.

From its humble beginnings with just 319 users in October 2021, Chowdeck has grown rapidly, extending its portfolio beyond food delivery to include essentials such as pharmaceuticals, shopping mall products, and market produce. With over 10,000 delivery riders currently servicing major Nigerian cities like Lagos, Ibadan, Port Harcourt, and Abuja—and more recent launches in Owerri, Enugu, and Kaduna—the company’s success in Lagos remains a model it hopes to replicate in Ghana.

However, entering the Ghanaian market is not without its challenges. Urban centers such as Accra, Tema, and Kumasi are already home to established players like Uber Eats and Bolt Food. Although Ghana’s food delivery market is projected to grow to $540.1 million by 2029, with an annual growth rate of 16.66%, past exits by competitors—such as Glovo’s withdrawal in 2024 after a hefty investment and Jumia Food’s shutdown in early 2023—highlight the difficulties of operating in this space. Factors like high taxes, low wages, and persistent inflation continue to pose significant hurdles for food delivery services in the region.

Despite the competitive landscape, industry insiders believe that Chowdeck’s proven track record and aggressive expansion strategy could enable it to overcome these obstacles. The Ghana launch is seen not merely as a new market entry but as a bold declaration of the company’s pan-African ambitions. If successful, Chowdeck’s approach could force established competitors to innovate, ultimately benefiting consumers across the region with better services and lower delivery costs.

As Chowdeck prepares to make its debut in Ghana, the company’s progress will be closely watched by industry experts and investors alike. The coming months could well determine whether Chowdeck’s vision of a unified, continent-wide digital marketplace becomes a reality or if the challenges of the Ghanaian market will prove too formidable.