Brendon Njoroge, Operations Manager at Glovo
Brendon Njoroge, Operations Manager at Glovo
Glovo is more than a delivery App. It’s one of the leading technological platforms- connecting customers, businesses and riders, offering multicategory on-demand services from local restaurants, grocers and supermarkets, and high street retail stores. In this interview, Brendon Njoroge, Operations Manager at Glovo, talks more about Green Energy and how they intend to build the largest online marketplace in Uganda and East Africa at large.
Q: Glovo has been operating in Uganda for over five years now. What has been your experience operating in Uganda so far and how would you describe the country’s business environment?
A: Our journey in Uganda over the past five years has been both exciting and deeply rewarding. Starting from a single area in Kampala, we have expanded to cover the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area, including Mukono, Kitende, and Entebbe in Wakiso. This expansion reflects the growing demand for our services and highlights Uganda’s strong potential as a market for digital solutions.
Uganda is a dynamic, youthful market with a strong entrepreneurial spirit. Businesses, particularly small and medium sizes, are increasingly open to technology when given the right tools and support, creating an environment ripe for innovation and growth.
The country’s business environment is steadily improving, driven by rising internet penetration, widespread mobile money adoption, and a growing innovation ecosystem. While challenges remain, such as infrastructure gaps, traffic congestion, and regulatory evolution, Uganda continues to offer significant opportunities for companies committed to long-term investment and positive impact.
Overall, our experience has been one of partnership, learning, and growth. Uganda’s vibrant market and enterprising communities have made it an exciting place for Glovo to innovate and contribute to the country’s digital economy.
Q: What key milestones have you registered over the last five years?
A: Over the past five years, we’ve achieved several important milestones that reflect both our growth and impact in Uganda. Besides expansion, we have grown our customer base by average +48% Year on Year, demonstrating strong adoption of on-demand digital services. We have also built a robust ecosystem of strong vendor partners, 95% of whom are local Small & Medium Businesses (SMBs), helping digitize and scale their businesses.
The Company has also established partnerships with over six major brands, strengthening our presence across multiple sectors.
Additionally, we have enabled thousands of indirect and direct jobs, including a network of active independent riders that use our platform daily to earn revenues. We have also generated billions in direct economic value for restaurants and stores on our platform, reinforcing our role as a key enabler of local commerce and economy.
We have also advanced our sustainability agenda by increasing electric motorbike adoption to 60% of our deliveries, significantly reducing our carbon footprint, and contributed to social impact through the donation of over 2.5 million meals to communities in need.
Q: Glovo is mainly perceived as a delivery company. How are you helping Ugandan companies digitize their operations?
A: On the contrary, Glovo is not a delivery app. Glovo is a leading technological platform connecting customers, businesses and riders, offering multicategory on-demand services from local restaurants, grocers and 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.
We provide businesses with the digital infrastructure, tools, and data they need to grow and compete in an increasingly digital economy.
We enable businesses to build a strong digital footprint by offering platforms and devices that allow them to manage sales seamlessly, track performance, and optimize their operations in real time. In addition, we provide valuable data insights that help our partners better understand customer behavior and adapt their offerings accordingly.
We are also investing heavily in capacity building, equipping business owners and staff, as well as riders, with the skills to effectively leverage technology. Beyond training, we facilitate access to essential resources such as internet connectivity, ensuring that our partners can fully participate in the digital ecosystem.
This approach has been particularly transformative for SMBs in Uganda, many of which are transitioning from informal setups to more structured, tech-enabled businesses. By lowering the barriers to digital adoption, we are empowering local entrepreneurs to scale sustainably and participate more actively in the digital economy.
Q: Glovo is promoting uptake of electric motorbikes. What informed your decision to promote E-bikes and how are Ugandans responding to this call?
A: Our decision to promote electric bikes is rooted in our global commitment to sustainability and our responsibility to reduce carbon emissions. We want to be part of the solutions to urban pollution.
Electric motorbikes offer several advantages including reduced carbon emissions, lower operating costs for riders and less noise pollution in urban areas.
The response from Ugandans has been encouraging. Riders are increasingly recognizing the economic benefits, particularly in terms of operating costs. We are grateful for the efforts of the Government of Uganda in supporting the development of the electric vehicle ecosystem, as well as the investments being made by EV players to build the necessary infrastructure, a capital-intensive but crucial step.
Partnerships have been key to our progress. Collaborating with companies like Zembo, eBee, and Spiro has allowed us to scale our electric mobility initiatives effectively and bring this solution to more riders, contributing both to a greener environment and to more sustainable livelihoods.
Q: What other products and services does Glovo offer?
A: At Glovo, we are building the largest marketplace in the cities, enabling customers to get almost anything in minutes. Beyond food, we operate as a multi-category platform with fast-growing quick commerce, offering delivery of groceries, pharmacy items, and retail products.
In addition, we provide courier services, including fast on-demand parcel delivery, making it easy for individuals and businesses to send and receive items quickly and reliably.
I want to emphasize again that, Glovo is fundamentally a technology platform. We provide digital tools and infrastructure to vendors, helping them manage and grow their businesses efficiently. We also invest in upskilling riders by providing access to online courses, helping them develop skills, and improve the quality of their lives.
Through this combination of services, technology, and empowerment initiatives, Glovo is redefining convenience while supporting businesses and individuals across Uganda.
Q: Glovo mainly operates in Kampala and the surrounding towns. Do you have plans to expand to upcountry cities?
A: Yes, expansion is a key part of our growth strategy. While Kampala remains our primary hub due to its population density and infrastructure, we are actively exploring opportunities in other urban centers.
We are taking a data-driven and human-centric approach to expansion, assessing factors such as demand, infrastructure readiness, and business activity. Our aim is to replicate our success in Kampala while adapting to the unique needs of each city.
Q: What key challenges are companies like Glovo facing?
A: Like many companies operating in emerging markets, we face a number of challenges; one of which mainly being the misconception around our business model. I can also say infrastructure limitations, particularly road networks and addressing systems. Traffic congestion in urban areas and the centralization of development in the capital city, which can limit growth opportunities in other regions are challenges we work on overcoming; in addition to internet disruptions that affect connectivity and seamless operations. As I mentioned above, Uganda is a dynamic market with an evolving digital economy so navigating regulatory uncertainties can be as challenging for us as the cost of technology adoption is for some small and medium-sized businesses.
Despite these challenges, we remain optimistic and continue to collaborate with stakeholders to find sustainable solutions.
Q: What growth plans do you have for the next two years?
A: Over the next two years, we will keep on track with our commitment to set standards for a sustainable platform economy. Our growth plans center on our mission to build the largest online marketplace to give Ugandans access to everything in minutes.
As the leading online marketplace in Uganda, we will strengthen our leadership in quick commerce all while continuously enhancing user and partner experience which is key to our mission. We will keep on building for long-term impact by continuously improving rider welfare and investing in our partners’ skills development as well.
thanks for info.