Four former senior managers from Paystack, a prominent African payment company, have joined forces to venture into the continent’s growing grocery delivery sector. Yinka Adewuyi, Gbadegbo Gbade-Oyelakin, Abdulrahman Jogbojogbo, and Abiola Showemimo, who all spent significant time at Paystack, are launching GoLemon, a startup focused on delivering groceries and household items across major African cities.
Adewuyi, previously a product lead at Paystack, will lead GoLemon as CEO, while Gbade-Oyelakin, who headed Paystack’s core platforms team, will take on the role of CTO. Jogbojogbo, who oversaw marketing at Paystack, will lead GoLemon’s growth efforts, and Showemimo, one of Paystack’s earliest employees, will manage operations, leveraging his experience as a supermarket owner in Lagos, Nigeria.
GoLemon enters a competitive market in Africa, offering grocery and household item deliveries to both homes and businesses. The startup will face competition from well-funded companies like Glovo and Chowdeck, as well as local favorites such as Mano and Pricepally in cities like Lagos, Nairobi, and Johannesburg. However, the launch of GoLemon coincides with the exit of international giants like Jumia and Bolt from the food and grocery delivery segment in Africa, citing challenging economics and increased competition.
Despite the challenges, Jogbojogbo sees an opportunity for a grocery delivery business in Africa’s rapidly urbanizing cities. He told TechCabal, “It’s tough to start now and gain traction, but if we can navigate through the difficulties, we believe we can build a strong business across the continent.”
GoLemon’s unique approach involves managing inventory and fulfilment centres across African markets, sourcing bulk products directly from local farmers and FMCGs (Fast Moving Consumer Goods). By focusing on cost optimization, the startup aims to attract a wide customer base across the continent, targeting large and repeat orders with significant basket sizes. This strategic direction sets GoLemon apart in Africa’s competitive grocery delivery landscape.