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Nigeria’s Gokada speeds up growth to tap into potential US$20bn market

By , ITWeb
Nigeria , 01 Jun 2021

Nigeria-based last mile delivery, logistics and transportation start-up Gokada has launched a ‘Super App’ where customers can access food delivery, ecommerce, and ride hailing services in one app.

According to the start-up, it has crossed over the USS$100-million in annualised transaction value, having completed over one million food delivery and ecommerce orders on behalf of over 30,000 merchants in the last 12 months alone.

The company said with increasing internet penetration and ease of mobile payments, the country’s e-commerce sector is set to grow and last mile delivery is set to drive this even further.

Gokada is looking to serve this growing market with expansions from its current base in Lagos, across multiple cities in Nigeria, including Abuja, Port Harcourt, Ibadan and Ogun. Gokada plans to leverage its recent NIPOST license for cross-country courier and logistics services as it expands across the country.

Nikhil Goel, CEO of Gokada said, “The ecommerce and delivery market in Nigeria is growing at an exponential rate and will be worth US$20-billion over the next few years. I experienced the same kind of growth in India when I was with Zomato. Much like in India and our counterparts in other emerging markets, Gokada is building a transport infrastructure from the bottom up, using well-trained riders, powered by technology, to connect businesses large and small with a consumer base in its millions. This launch is core to our objective of positioning Gokada at the centre of Nigeria’s e-commerce and delivery revolution”.

In addition to the launch of the Gokada Super App and its multi-city expansion plans, Gokada confirmed it is also strengthening its Senior Management team, with the recent appointment of Dika Oho as VP Product, who was previously Director of Developer Growth at Andela and will lead Gokada’s product development.

“Gokada’s expansion will see the creation of new jobs, with the addition of thousands of new G-pilots, the largest last mile delivery fleet size in Lagos. As well as significantly expanding its last-mile delivery offering, Gokada will also reintroduce its popular ride-hailing service in cities where licenses are available, initially starting with Ogun and Ibadan,” the company stated.

“For the thousands of businesses who rely on the Gokada Super App to fulfill deliveries, they will have access to thousands of pilots, be able to create easy order management, use API integration to create and cancel orders, estimate delivery charges, and receive status updates straight from their mobile device, as well as select route optimisation to reduce delivery costs,” it added.

Goel concludes, “The past year has shown us all - whether it be for general use or for business continuity - just how much we rely on delivery services to fulfil daily needs. Business is changing, and the Gokada Super App has been designed with that very consideration in mind - keeping customers and businesses connected and updated at all times throughout the delivery process. We are excited to be leading and growing this market segment in Nigeria, delivering a service that we believe will be the backbone and catalyst for the future of commerce in Africa”. 

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