The investment will be used to expand Noki Noki’s services in its existing six Central African markets and establish a strong presence in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Uma Ventures led the funding round, highlighting the growing confidence in Congolese startups.

In 2023, Congo attracted a record $62 million in venture capital, becoming the top contributor to startup funding growth in Central Africa.

Founded in 2021 by entrepreneur Jonathan Yanghat, Noki Noki offers a suite of services, including Noki Food for meal delivery, Noki Drive for grocery assistance, and Noki Pay, an integrated payment system.

The company boasts over 10,000 users and processed more than 1 billion CFA francs (approximately $167 million) in transactions in 2023.

“We started small, with just a few motorcycles, but with a big dream to revolutionize delivery and e-commerce across Africa,” said Yanghat. “This investment is a major step towards our goal of becoming the leading last-mile delivery service in Africa.”

Noki Noki competes in a rapidly growing market, with Africa’s last-mile delivery sector expanding at an annual rate of 8.45% and is expected to reach $2.35 billion by 2030.

Vinay Vaswani, founder of Uma Ventures, praised Noki Noki’s deep understanding of the market and leadership potential.

“Their vision aligns perfectly with our commitment to supporting tech-driven infrastructure in Africa,” Vaswani said. “We’re thrilled to be a part of their growth journey.”