Chowdeck acquires Mira for an undisclosed amount, targets restaurant operations across Africa

Nigerian food delivery startup Chowdeck has acquired Mira, a one-year-old restaurant point-of-sale (POS) and management system, in a strategic move to diversify beyond last-mile logistics into the operational backbone of food businesses across Africa. 

Announced by its founder and CEO, Femi Aluko, earlier today, the acquisition, whose financial terms remain undisclosed, aims to address inventory management challenges and strengthen the company’s vendor ecosystem. This development follows the startup’s rapid growth, positioning it as a potential infrastructure provider in a competitive market. 

Founded in 2021, Chowdeck has emerged as a key player in Nigeria’s on-demand delivery sector, serving over one million users and employing more than 3,000 riders across eight Nigerian cities and Ghana’s capital, Accra. The company recently celebrated a milestone, completing 1,000 deliveries in Accra within two months, a feat that took a year in Nigeria, according to Aluko. 

The acquisition of Mira, launched by former Flutterwave VP of Design Ted Oladele, brings a suite of tools including QR-code-based ordering, inventory tracking, sales monitoring, and customer engagement features, complemented by POS hardware priced at ₦360,000.

Mira, which claims over 500 business clients, had raised $200,000 in a family-and-friends round and was pursuing a seed round before the deal.

Aluko emphasised the strategic fit, stating:

“For a long time, we’ve focused more on the customer side than on the restaurant, supermarket, and pharmacy side. As we expand, we’re paying deeper attention to the vendor side.” 

Mira’s Ted Oladele joins Chowdeck as Head of Product

Oladele will join Chowdeck as Head of Product, with select Mira employees integrating to develop tailored tools for food and hospitality businesses. This move follows Chowdeck’s ambition to become a “super app for Africa”, which highlighted its delivery of food, groceries, and pharmaceuticals across eight Nigerian cities.

The acquisition comes as Chowdeck faces intensifying competition from international players like Glovo, active in multiple African markets, including Kenya and South Africa.

Analysts view the deal as vertical integration rather than diversification, enabling Chowdeck to control more of the supply chain, from order fulfilment to restaurant operations.

This contrasts with competitors like Vendease, which has struggled to convince food businesses to adopt new systems due to high switching costs. Chowdeck’s existing distribution network and trust with restaurants could provide a competitive edge, potentially easing the adoption of its expanded services.

However, the transition from a consumer-focused delivery model to an enterprise software provider poses challenges. Selling POS and management tools involves longer sales cycles, deeper integrations, and ongoing support, areas where Nigerian startups have historically faltered, according to a PwC Nigeria tech report (June 2025). 

Mira’s technology, which allows customers to scan QR codes for menus and payments while offering vendors real-time inventory insights, could streamline operations for small and midsized food businesses. Yet, success hinges on Chowdeck scaling its internal expertise and addressing vendor hesitancy, a hurdle Vendease has yet to overcome fully.

The broader implications are significant. With Africa’s food delivery market projected to reach $2.4 billion by 2032, Chowdeck’s move could reshape the sector by offering an end-to-end solution. Its expansion into Ghana, where it aims to replicate Nigeria’s growth, aligns with plans to enter South Africa and Kenya. The acquisition also raises questions about Chowdeck’s future role in reimagining supply chains for groceries and pharmaceuticals, sectors it already serves.

The deal, which is one of a few successful acquisition stories in the Nigerian tech sector this year, marks a pivotal moment for Chowdeck.

While the financial details remain under wraps, the integration of Mira’s technology signals a bold vision to dominate Africa’s food ecosystem. Stakeholders will watch closely as the startup navigates this shift, balancing innovation with the operational demands of its new enterprise focus.