Sylvia Duruson
Four former senior managers at Paystack, the prominent African payment company, are embarking on a new venture together in the continent’s burgeoning grocery delivery space. Yinka Adewuyi, Gbadegbo Gbade-Oyelakin, Abdulrahman Jogbojogbo, and Abiola Showemimo, all early employees who spent at least six years at the Nigerian fintech unicorn, are launching GoLemon, a startup that delivers groceries and household items across major African cities.
Adewuyi, formerly the product lead at Paystack, will assume the role of CEO at GoLemon, while Gbade-Oyelakin, who led Paystack’s core platforms team, will serve as the CTO. Jogbojogbo, previously responsible for marketing at Paystack, will spearhead the startup’s growth efforts, and Showemimo, one of Paystack’s first ten employees, will oversee operations, bringing his experience as a supermarket owner in Lagos, Nigeria, to the table.
GoLemon enters a competitive African market, offering grocery and household item deliveries to homes and businesses. The startup will compete with deep-pocketed companies like Glovo and Chowdeck, a YC-backed entity, as well as popular local choices for grocery delivery in cities like Lagos, Nairobi, and Johannesburg, such as Mano and Pricepally. However, the launch of GoLemon comes at a time when international giants like Jumia and Bolt exited the food and grocery delivery segment in Africa last year, citing challenging unit economics, significant losses, and increasing competition as reasons for their withdrawal.
Despite these challenges, Jogbojogbo believes the timing is opportune for a grocery delivery business in Africa’s rapidly urbanizing cities. “It’s difficult to get started right now and get traction, but if we can weather the storm, I think we would have been able to build a formidable business across the continent,” he told TechCabal.
GoLemon’s unique proposition lies in its management of inventory and fulfillment centers across African markets, directly sourcing bulk products from local farmers and FMCGs. By optimizing for the lowest costs possible, the startup aims to attract a broad customer base across the continent, catering primarily to large and repeat orders with substantial basket sizes. This strategic approach sets GoLemon apart in Africa’s competitive grocery delivery landscape.
