Swoop is Building Nigerian Food-Delivery Super App with $7.3m

News in Brief:

— Swoop has raised $7.3 million to expand its Lagos food-delivery business and build a wider super app.

— The startup plans to add grocery delivery, ride-hailing and fintech services as it grows its customer base.

Nigerian food-delivery startup Swoop has raised $7.3 million in seed funding as it seeks to build a super app that could eventually combine food and grocery delivery, ride-hailing and fintech services.

Founded by 19-year-old Aubrey Niederhoffer, the startup is betting that food delivery can provide the customer base needed to expand into other digital services. Niederhoffer, who dropped out of the University of California, Berkeley’s Haas Business School, previously started a recruitment company in Eswatini at age 15.

Swoop initially launched in Eswatini, where it reportedly attracted 22,000 users within eight months. The founder later moved the company to Lagos, which he considers a significantly larger opportunity.

Swoop Targets Lagos With WhatsApp Strategy

Swoop currently operates in Surulere and Gbagada, despite positioning itself as a service for underserved communities on the Lagos mainland near its Yaba headquarters.

The startup also launched a WhatsApp channel in August 2026, hoping to reach Nigerians who may be reluctant to download another app. Swoop says the strategy reflects how widely Nigerians already use WhatsApp to communicate with businesses.

Its delivery model relies on independent contractors rather than a company-owned fleet. Contract riders receive 100% of delivery fees, while Swoop plans to generate revenue through restaurant commissions and a 7% service charge.

The startup's expansion ambitions, however, come as Nigeria's food-delivery market remains highly competitive and expensive to operate.

Food Delivery Is a Costly Route to a Super App

Swoop's optimism contrasts with the exits of Bolt Food and Jumia Food from Lagos, while companies such as Glovo and Chowdeck continue to compete in the market.

Building a large delivery business requires significant investment in logistics, technology, quick-commerce infrastructure and talent. Glovo, for instance, entered international expansion with substantial financial backing, while Chowdeck has raised $18 million in funding.

Swoop's $7.3 million gives it room to compete, but the larger challenge will be converting food-delivery customers into regular users of future services.

The startup previously received $250,000 from the Thiel Fellowship after Niederhoffer left university. Its latest funding now puts greater pressure on the young founder to prove that Lagos can provide the foundation for the super app he envisions.