Global food delivery and logistics platform Glovo has unveiled the Glovo Academy in Abuja, an initiative designed to build capacity and accelerate the growth of Nigeria’s micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
Speaking at the launch as cited by the Punch, Glovo Nigeria’s Head of Commercial, Kolawole Adeniyi, emphasized that the company was deepening its African investments by focusing on grassroots businesses.
Since entering Africa in 2018, Glovo has invested over €206 million across six countries, including Nigeria, generating more than €1 billion for 40,000 business partners—90 percent of whom are SMEs.
In Nigeria, where SMEs make up about 95 percent of its partners, Glovo has delivered ₦55 billion in value since its 2021 entry, benefitting more than 5,000 businesses and 12,000 riders.
Adeniyi stressed that unlike many global companies that extract value from Africa, Glovo has taken a long-term approach by reinvesting in the continent.
“Nigeria represents one of the biggest opportunities globally due to its growing youth population and market size,” he said.
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The Head of Growth and Abuja Business at Glovo, Reni Onafeko, noted that the capital city has been a major growth hub, with two million orders fulfilled, over 1,000 partners onboarded, and more than 2,000 riders earning income.
She explained that the academy would focus on equipping entrepreneurs with the skills needed for sustainable growth.
Government and private sector representatives present at the launch highlighted the critical role of SMEs in driving Nigeria’s economy.
The Senior Special Adviser to the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Ifeoma Williams, described SMEs as the “backbone” of the economy, citing data from SMEDAN that puts the sector’s contribution at 40 percent of GDP and 80 percent of jobs.
She added that the government was committed to enabling entrepreneurs through affordable financing, including a ₦75 billion facility for MSMEs, though access remains limited due to weak business structures and poor documentation.
Kayode Meyanbe, representing SMEDAN’s Director-General, said the agency was simplifying registration, improving access to finance, and creating a new curriculum to close gaps in business knowledge.
From the private sector, food entrepreneur Tijjani Mustapha, founder of Ahmed Shawarma, shared insights on the challenges of running a small business in Nigeria, including staffing, costs, and customer retention.
He stressed that technology and platforms like Glovo, Instagram, and Facebook had been crucial to scaling and staying competitive.
The launch concluded with a consensus that sustained investment, stronger policy support, digital adoption, and accessible financing are essential if Nigeria’s 39 million SMEs are to achieve their full potential in job creation and inclusive growth.
Image Credit: Punch Newspapers
