At the recent Glovo Future of Commerce Summit, two of Nigeria’s most prominent QSR leaders Kofi Abunu, CEO of Chicken Republic, and Rushdi Ibrahim, CEO of Burger King Nigeria, took the stage to discuss how their brands are navigating one of the world’s most challenging but high-potential food service markets. Moderated by Reni Onafeko, Head of Growth at Glovo Nigeria, the conversation unpacked key lessons in scale, innovation, and staying relevant in a volatile economy.
Nigeria’s quick-service restaurant (QSR) industry has undergone a seismic shift over the last decade. Chicken Republic has cemented its status as the leading homegrown QSR brand, while Burger King, a global heavyweight, is charting an aggressive expansion path after just over three years in the market. The session, titled “Navigating Growth and Success in Nigeria’s Food Service Market,” explored what it takes to succeed in this landscape shaped by inflation, infrastructure gaps, and evolving consumer behavior.
Kofi Abunu of Chicken Republic, Nigeria’s leading QSR chain, emphasized how local brands have evolved from serving indulgent treats to providing essential, everyday convenience. “The QSR market has changed drastically,” Kofi said. “Nigerian customers now prioritize quality, speed, and accessibility. Demand never stops, even in crises.”
Despite economic headwinds, Chicken Republic has not only survived but thrived. Kofi stressed the importance of agility, infrastructure planning, and workforce development. “We’ve scaled by being intentional about training. From rice cook to area manager, our people grow with us,” he noted.
Rushdi Ibrahim, who launched Burger King in Nigeria in 2021, offered a global brand’s perspective on local adaptation. “Nigeria defies global logic,” he said. “Globally, breakfast is our best-performing segment—but here, it’s our most challenged. Even the usual location strategies don’t always work. What works in five continents won’t automatically work here. We had to test for months, build partnerships, and commit to consistency.”
According to him, Burger King’s model has had to evolve rapidly, incorporating both global QSR standards and local insights. Ibhrahim explained Burger King’s “TRUST” framework for market entry: Testing, Reaching the right audience, Understanding competition, Strengthening partnerships, and Telling a consistent story.
“The food scene has exploded but operating in Nigeria means being able to adapt fast, or you’ll fail fast,” said Kofi, reflecting on Chicken Republic’s journey from a value treat to a lifestyle convenience.
Despite economic headwinds, both leaders emphasized resilience and operational agility as the bedrock of success.
Reni Onafeko spotlighted Glovo’s role not just as a tech platform, but as a key enabler of Nigeria’s digital food economy.
“The future for Glovo is tapping more into the food service industry. As we grow the category, we grow the business and drive more impact. Our vision is to give everyone access to anything in their city, at their fingertips. Nigeria is ripe. People are transacting via mobile, fintech is booming, and the next big evolution is in food and grocery commerce. The question is: what platform will they be doing this on? That’s why we exist.”
The conversation underscored that scaling QSRs in Nigeria requires more than recipes and real estate. It demands deep market understanding, local credibility, operational rigor, and resilient digital infrastructure — and Glovo is positioning itself at the heart of it all.
The summit underscored Glovo’s data-driven impact, revealing that since launching in Nigeria in 2021, the platform has generated over ₦71 billion in revenue for its local partners. With over 6,000 shops and restaurants having fulfilled orders via the app over the years, Glovo continues to demonstrate its capacity to drive partner growth at scale, being a first entry-point for most of them into the online world.
