Glovo, a leading technology platform, along with other stakeholders in the e-commerce ecosystem, has called for stronger collaboration to promote inclusive growth for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) and drive innovation across Nigeria’s e-commerce landscape. This was the key takeaway from the second edition of Glovo’s flagship industry event, the Future of Commerce Summit, held recently in Lagos.
Summit Highlights
The event brought together key stakeholders from Nigeria’s technology, commerce, and public sectors, including policymakers and entrepreneurs. Speakers examined how digital platforms are enabling businesses to expand their reach, improve efficiency, and remain competitive in an increasingly dynamic environment.
Delivering his address, the President and Chairman of Council of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Leye Kupoluyi, represented by the Vice President of the Chamber, Opeyemi Aminu, stated that the Nigerian economy is at a defining moment, with commerce being fundamentally reshaped by technology, data, and connectivity. According to Kupoluyi, commerce is moving beyond physical boundaries into an intelligent, platform-driven ecosystem that is transforming how businesses operate and how consumers engage, while creating value across markets.
Keynote Address
Delivering her keynote address on the theme of the summit, 'Pioneering the Next Era of Commerce in Africa,' the General Manager of Glovo Nigeria, Reni Onafeko, said the summit reinforces the company’s role as a growth enabler for SMBs by helping businesses transition into the digital economy while unlocking new revenue streams and opportunities. Onafeko added that by fostering collaboration across sectors, Glovo is contributing to the development of a more resilient and inclusive commerce ecosystem in Nigeria. She noted that the company remains focused on building the largest on-demand multi-category platform to help create an economy where partners can lead and thrive.
“Future of Commerce 2.0 reflects our commitment to building a more inclusive and innovation-driven commerce ecosystem in Nigeria. At Glovo, we are focused on empowering SMBs with the tools, technology, and access they need to grow, scale, and compete effectively in a rapidly evolving digital economy. By fostering collaboration across the public and private sectors, we are creating opportunities that drive sustainable growth and long-term impact,” she said.
SMEDAN Remarks
In his own remarks, the Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Dr. Charles Odii, represented by the Coordinator of the Industrial Development Centre, Olusola Oluwole-Adeilupo, said the on-demand economy, represented by platforms, logistics networks, and digital payment systems such as Glovo, is no longer a niche disruption but the new architecture of trade. Commending Glovo for convening the landmark gathering for the second consecutive year, Odii said the summit’s continuity reflects a sustained investment in the vision of a thriving, digitally enabled commerce ecosystem in Nigeria, rather than a seasonal campaign. He noted that although businesses constitute the backbone of the Nigerian economy, they continue to face structural challenges, including limited access to finance, constrained market reach, low technological adoption, and insufficient integration into the formal digital economy.
Panel Sessions and Fireside Chats
The summit featured three panel sessions: 'Powering Commerce: The Systems, the Infrastructure and the In-Between'; 'The Next Frontier: AI and Automation'; and 'Running a Profitable Food Business in Today’s Nigeria.' It also included fireside chats titled 'Winning the Nigerian Consumer in the New Digital Era' and 'Glovo Around the World,' featuring Glovo’s Africa Regional Director, Dima Rasnovsky.
Speakers and panellists at the event included the General Manager of E-commerce at Food Concepts Plc (Chicken Republic), Oyindamola de-Medeiros; CMO and Co-founder of PiggyTech, Joshua Chibueze; CEO and Co-founder of Sunfi, Rotimi Thomas; Chief Executive Officer of GIG Logistics, Sebestine Osika; Group Chief Operating Officer of Paga Group, Opeyemi Oyinloye; Co-founder of ORDA Africa, Olakunle Ogungbamila; Chief Executive Officer of Kaddi, Paddy Mark; Chief Technology Officer of Kaddi, Afolabi Ayoola; and Chief Executive Officer of Tyms, Ibrahim Adepoju, among others.
Awards and Recognition
The summit also featured award presentations to outstanding partners in the Food and Q-commerce categories.
About Glovo
Glovo is a leading technological platform connecting customers, businesses, and riders, offering multi-category on-demand services from local restaurants, grocers, supermarkets, and high street retail stores. As a frontrunner in Quick Commerce, the next generation of e-commerce, Glovo’s vision is to build the largest online marketplace to give everyone access to anything in their city within minutes.
