In a recent report, Techpoint Africa said fake restaurants were approved and started selling on Nigeria’s food delivery apps Glovo and Chowdeck during a test carried out by the outlet.
According to the report, the probe began after a food vendor, Corporate Ewa, posted on X in December 2025 that several stores on Glovo were allegedly impersonating her business using photos from her social media. Techpoint Africa said it then tested the platforms’ onboarding process by posing as a restaurant that was not listed on either app.
The outlet alleges that on Glovo, it used a fake address, a made-up tax ID, and photos taken from the real restaurant’s Instagram page. The report states the platform did not flag the false tax ID or check it against public records from the CAC or tax authorities. Techpoint Africa says the fake store was approved within 48 hours and received a device for order tracking after paying a ₦20,000 activation fee. The report adds that Glovo declined to comment when contacted.
For Chowdeck, Techpoint Africa claims the process was faster. The report says that although the platform rejected the fake CAC details initially, it still allowed the store to go live and start trading until payouts reached ₦100,000. A test order was allegedly placed and delivered without issue. Chowdeck told the outlet that it uses third-party checks for most vendors but allows some unregistered small businesses limited access under tighter monitoring.
The report argues that there is a gap in oversight, since unlike Nigeria’s fintech sector, food delivery platforms operate with little regulation. Techpoint Africa says there is currently no law that specifically governs food delivery apps, and neither the FCCPC nor NAFDAC currently enforces vendor checks on these platforms.
Techpoint Africa warns that without proper checks, consumers could risk ordering from unverified vendors. The outlet suggests collaboration between the FCCPC and NAFDAC could help address the issue as the sector grows.
Source: Techpoint Africa
