Nigerian Delivery Giant Chowdeck Strengthens Restaurant Tech Arsenal Through Mira Buyout
On-demand delivery platform Chowdeck has strategically purchased Mira, a nascent restaurant management and POS solution, signaling the company’s evolution from pure logistics into comprehensive hospitality technology services.
The financial terms remain confidential, though Chowdeck’s leadership indicates this strategic move addresses persistent inventory control difficulties within their ecosystem.
Since its 2021 inception, Chowdeck has established dominance within Nigeria’s rapid delivery sector, accumulating over one million active users alongside a fleet exceeding 3,000 delivery personnel. The platform operates across eight Nigerian metropolitan areas while recently penetrating Ghana’s market through Accra operations, targeting 1,000 monthly deliveries within eight weeks—a benchmark previously requiring twelve months in their home market.
“Welcoming Mira represents an exciting chapter for our organization,” Aluko commented. “Their innovative approach has impressed us considerably, and we anticipate remarkable collaborative outcomes.”
Mira’s founder, Ted Oladele—formerly Flutterwave’s Design VP—developed comprehensive restaurant technology spanning customer-facing and operational functions. Diners utilize QR scanning for menu access, ordering, and payment processing, while establishments benefit from stock management, revenue analytics, and customer relationship tools. The company markets physical POS hardware at ₦360,000 per unit, serving over 500 business clients.
Post-acquisition, Oladele transitions to Chowdeck’s Product Leadership role, with selected Mira personnel joining to enhance hospitality-focused development initiatives. Mira previously secured $200,000 through personal networks and was pursuing seed funding before this strategic exit.
Strategic Positioning Beyond Traditional Delivery
Chowdeck’s reputation stems from exceptional speed and operational excellence within Nigeria’s on-demand landscape. However, intensifying competition from international players like Glovo—the Spanish delivery giant expanding across African territories—creates strategic pressure.
Within this competitive context, the Mira acquisition represents calculated vertical integration rather than simple diversification, positioning Chowdeck to control expanded value chain segments within fragmented markets.
Previously, Chowdeck’s merchant tools encompassed solely order processing and logistics coordination. Mira’s capabilities enable upstream expansion, encompassing inventory oversight, sales intelligence, and customer engagement beyond mere delivery execution. This positions the company as comprehensive infrastructure provider for African small-to-medium food enterprises.
Execution challenges remain significant. Enterprise software transitions involve substantial switching costs, as demonstrated by Vendease’s market penetration struggles within similar segments. Chowdeck’s potential advantage lies in existing merchant relationships and established trust—restaurants utilizing their delivery services may demonstrate greater receptivity toward expanded service adoption.
Nevertheless, this acquisition fundamentally alters organizational character. Delivery operations target consumers; enterprise software serves business clients. Restaurant software sales demand extended cycles, complex integrations, and sustained support levels few Nigerian startups have scaled successfully. Chowdeck must develop internal capabilities matching its expanded ambitions.
The acquisition raises broader strategic questions. Chowdeck’s portfolio encompasses food, grocery, and pharmaceutical delivery. If the company envisions itself as comprehensive vendor technology partner, how extensively will it reimagine the supply networks it currently facilitates?
