In cities like Lagos, Nigeria, and Nairobi, Kenya, delivery is not just moving food or products from one point to another. It is also navigating traffic snarl-ups that can take hours, some streets that digital maps still struggle to recognise, and consumers who demand convenience while living inside deeply informal economies.
Dima Rasnovsky, who oversees operations for global on-demand delivery platform Glovo across six African markets, told TechCabal in an interview in early May that those frictions are not obstacles, but the foundation of a distinctly African model for online commerce.
In his view, the continent’s delivery economy is unlikely to mirror the warehouse-heavy systems of Europe or America. Instead, it may be shaped by dense neighbourhood stores, mobile money infrastructure, and merchants who already sit close to where customers live.
That shift is central to Glovo’s growing focus on quick commerce—the business of delivering groceries, pharmacy products, electronics, cosmetics, and other household items within minutes.
The company believes the category could eventually become larger than restaurant delivery in several African cities, even as the economics remain difficult. Fuel prices are volatile, margins are thin, and platforms must keep delivery affordable while convincing riders and merchants to stay on the network.
