GoLemon's Shutdown Says Something Bigger About Startup Funding in Africa

If you've been on Nigerian tech Twitter or LinkedIn recently, you've probably seen the news. GoLemon, the Lagos grocery delivery startup founded by four former Paystack executives, announced on July 29 that it was shutting down.

In a farewell post titled "Thank you, Lagos," the team said it couldn't find a sustainable path forward in time. Just like that, a company that built a warehouse network, moved more than ₦2 billion worth of groceries, and served 40,000 registered customers in just 28 months was gone.

GoLemon isn't an isolated case. Over the past three years, several Nigerian delivery startups have either shut down or scaled back their ambitions. But GoLemon's collapse also highlights something bigger. It shows how a venture capital market that once rewarded rapid growth is now asking a different question: Can your business survive without another funding round? 

Jumia is shuttering its food delivery service in some African countries

At the end of December 2023, Jumia will cease operations for its food delivery service, Jumia Food, in Nigeria. In addition to Nigeria, several other African nations including Kenya, Morocco, the Ivory Coast, Tunisia, Uganda, and Algeria are also impacted by this decision. Jumia is a technology company based in

TechloyWisdom Okogho

Why GoLemon's Business Model Was Hard to Sustain