Lamide Akinola has stepped down as Managing Director of Glovo Nigeria after three years at the helm, leaving the company as it continues to expand its footprint and investment in one of its fastest-growing markets globally.
Akinola joined Glovo in 2021 as Head of Q-commerce for Sub-Saharan Africa, where she oversaw the expansion of its digital marketplace for groceries and retail and helped scale its network of dark stores.
She was appointed to lead the Nigerian business on July 1, 2023.
During her tenure, Akinola helped drive Glovo’s expansion beyond its traditional food-delivery business into groceries, pharmaceuticals and other retail categories, while growing its operations in major Nigerian cities including Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt.
She said her time leading the Nigerian operation had been one of the most rewarding periods of her career, describing the business as an $80 million operation and Glovo’s fastest-growing market.
“Building this business into an $80 million operation and Glovo’s fastest-growing market has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career,” Akinola said in a LinkedIn post.
She said the experience had also strengthened her conviction in Africa’s opportunities and the ability of its talent to convert those opportunities into businesses with greater impact.
Akinola’s exit comes as Glovo reports notable growth in Nigeria. The company said last month that it had invested more than ₦54 billion in the country since launching operations in 2021 and had facilitated more than 40 million deliveries to customers.
Glovo also said Nigeria had become its fastest-growing market globally in 2026, across its 21-country operation, while the economic value generated for businesses using the platform more than doubled over the past year.
The company has increasingly positioned itself as a multi-category digital commerce platform rather than solely a food-delivery service, connecting consumers with restaurants, supermarkets, pharmacies and other retailers through its app.
Its expansion has also created a larger ecosystem for independent couriers and small businesses. Glovo said its Glovo Academy has conducted more than 50 in-person training sessions for hundreds of small and medium-sized businesses, with the programme aimed at helping merchants improve their performance online.
The company has continued to invest heavily despite the difficult operating environment in Nigeria, which has been marked by high inflation, currency volatility, rising operating costs and persistent logistics challenges.
Glovo said it invested more than ₦8.5 billion in Nigeria in 2025 alone, equivalent to more than €5 million at the time, even as several international companies reduced their exposure to the Nigerian market during the economic downturn. Akinola had previously said the company ended 2025 with Nigeria as its fastest-growing market globally.
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The business also recorded strong growth in customer activity. Akinola said Glovo’s December 2025 order volume was almost twice its December 31, 2024 level, while Nigeria recorded the highest growth across almost all of the company’s customer performance indicators.
Glovo has also sought to deepen its local operations by moving its customer service hub to Nigeria, creating additional local employment opportunities while supporting the network of couriers and merchants using its platform.
Akinola’s departure follows a period in which the company expanded its leadership pipeline. Reni Onafeko, who previously served as Head of Growth, has been filling the role since February 2026, according to the report announcing Akinola’s exit.
Onafeko has also been closely involved in Glovo Nigeria’s growth strategy, including efforts to expand the platform’s relationship with small businesses and strengthen its commercial operations.
With Nigeria now identified by Glovo as its fastest-growing market, Akinola leaves at a significant point in the company’s local expansion, with the platform seeking to deepen digital commerce while maintaining growth in a market where delivery businesses continue to face high logistics and operating costs.
Glovo’s latest figures suggest that Nigeria has become increasingly important to its global operations, with the company betting that the country’s large consumer market, growing digital adoption and expanding base of online businesses can sustain further growth.
About the Author
Cecilia Attah is a tech analyst with a degree from Benue State University. She covers tech news and startups at TechRegard with a focus on how technology is transforming Africa and shaping the global landscape.
