Glovo’s Dima Rasnovsky says Nigeria’s young, digital-first population is reshaping commerce in Africa

Nigeria’s combination of scale, youthful energy, and rapid digital adoption is positioning the country as one of the most exciting commerce markets globally, according to Dima Rasnovsky, Regional General Manager, Africa at Glovo.

Speaking during a conversation with Omotola Spence, Expansion Lead at Glovo Nigeria, at the Glovo Future of Commerce Summit 2.0, Rasnovsky highlighted what he described as the “structural tailwinds” driving opportunity in Nigeria and across the continent.

“I am totally impressed with the young population and the amount of energy here,” Rasnovsky said. “When you have millions of digitally native people who are ambitious and striving for more, it changes the game entirely. It creates a different energy and a different approach to business.”

Drawing parallels between Nigeria and his experience growing up in Ukraine, Rasnovsky noted that many international observers still underestimate the scale of opportunity across African markets.

“I think many people outside the continent don’t fully understand how many structural advantages exist here,” he said. “That energy becomes a strong tailwind for any business.”

The conversation explored how Glovo views Nigeria within its broader global expansion strategy and why the market continues to stand out internally.

“Nigeria’s commerce landscape is evolving rapidly, but what makes this market especially exciting is the combination of digital adoption, entrepreneurial energy, and consumer openness to new behaviours,” said Omotola Spence, Expansion Lead at Glovo Nigeria.

“The opportunity now is building systems and experiences that can scale alongside that growth.”

According to Rasnovsky, while food delivery markets across cities like Lagos, Barcelona, Kyiv, and Singapore share similar consumer fundamentals, Africa presents a distinct long-term growth opportunity due to market whitespace and infrastructure expansion potential.

“When you compare the number of restaurants or supermarkets per capita, it’s clear there’s still a lot of room for growth,” he explained. “There is space for everybody.”

Spence also questioned Rasnovsky on what excites him most about Nigeria over the next few years, particularly as digital commerce continues to accelerate.

Rasnovsky pointed to the country’s scale and momentum as Glovo’s biggest conviction drivers.

“Nigeria has two things: a very large starting point in terms of population and strong momentum,” he said. “That combination makes it a very exciting market.”

The discussion also touched on the growing role of artificial intelligence in commerce operations and business efficiency. Rather than viewing AI as a replacement mechanism, Rasnovsky framed it as an “amplifier” capable of helping businesses focus on core value creation while reducing operational friction.

“In Africa, especially Sub-Saharan Africa, people see AI as a way to bridge gaps and accelerate progress,” he said.

“Many restaurant owners want to focus on making great food and they don’t necessarily want to manage accounting or logistics. AI can help reduce those burdens, lower costs, and make businesses more efficient.”

He added that while marketing remains important, strong products remain the foundation of sustainable growth.
“It’s always easier to market a great product than to create great marketing for a bad product,” Rasnovsky said.

The session formed part of wider conversations at the Glovo Future of Commerce Summit 2.0 focused on digital infrastructure, AI, logistics, consumer behaviour, and the evolving commerce landscape across Africa.