Glovo to invest Sh10 billion in Kenya by 2030

Delivery platform Glovo says it will invest an additional Sh10 billion in Kenya by 2030 as competition intensifies in the country’s fast-growing digital commerce and on-demand delivery sector.

The company made the announcement during the opening of its new Nairobi corporate headquarters, which it says will serve as part of its African digital operations hub.

The expansion comes amid rapid growth in Kenya’s app-based delivery market, driven by rising smartphone use, digital payments and growing demand for convenience services beyond restaurant meals.

“Kenya is emerging among our fastest growing markets globally. Kenya grew by 40 per cent year-on-year by the end of 2025. The company currently operates in 12 towns and cities, working with more than 6,000 merchants and 2,200 active riders daily,” said Glovo co-founder and vice president of global affairs Sacha Michaud.

The firm also said it employs more than 600 staff in Kenya and plans to double that number over the next two years.

Cabinet Secretary for Investment, Trade and Industry Lee Kinyanjui, who attended the launch, said digital platforms are increasingly shaping economic activity by helping small businesses access wider markets

Government officials linked the growth of delivery platforms to broader expansion in Kenya’s accommodation, food services and ICT sectors, according to the 2026 Economic Survey.

Glovo says Kenya has become one of its fastest-growing markets globally since it entered the country in 2019.

The company estimates it contributed Sh9 billion to Kenya’s GDP in 2025 and generated more than Sh20 billion in revenue for local businesses over the past six years, most of it flowing to small and medium-sized enterprises.

The announcement also reflects a broader shift taking place across Africa’s delivery industry as firms diversify beyond food delivery into groceries, retail shopping, courier errands, pharmacy products and pet supplies.

Glovo chief technology officer Shiro Theuri said some of the platform’s fastest-growing categories now include health and beauty products, courier services and pet care.

“What began largely as food delivery services are increasingly evolving into ‘everything apps’,” Theuri said. “We’re seeing a lot of what we call verticals popping up across different segments. Health and beauty with over-the-counter medication. We’re also seeing a lot of interest in the pet segment. People are getting pets more and more and they want to buy products or food for their pets,” said Theuri.

Courier services, once considered a niche feature, are also seeing increased use as customers turn to apps to move documents, keys and personal items within cities.

Industry players are betting that higher-frequency purchases such as groceries and household essentials could offer more sustainable revenue than restaurant deliveries alone, which have historically faced high logistics and customer acquisition costs.

The diversification is intensifying competition between delivery platforms, supermarkets and retailers, many of whom are expanding their own quick-commerce operations.

 Michaud said the rapid growth of both delivery platforms and retailer-run delivery services in Kenya indicates that the wider digital commerce market is expanding rather than simply shifting between competitors.

The company says artificial intelligence is increasingly being used to improve delivery matching, estimate merchant preparation times and support customer service operations.

Kenya has also become an important testing ground for localisation strategies, including M-Pesa payment integration and adapting logistics systems to informal urban addressing structures.

As delivery firms compete for market share, companies are increasingly positioning themselves as broader urban commerce platforms rather than solely food delivery services.