A Nigerian food vendor operating under the brand “Corporate Ewa Agoyin” has accused Glovo Nigeria of enabling the impersonation of her business on its platform, delivering substandard food to customers under her brand name without authorization. The allegations, outlined in a legal demand letter dated October 11, 2025, add to a growing list of complaints about the Spanish delivery giant’s operations in Africa’s most populous nation.
According to Instagram user @ade_authority, who posted images of the legal correspondence, lawyers representing Corporate Ewa—a client identified as M.S. ADEGOLA—sent a formal notice to Glovo Nigeria’s managing director demanding immediate action against what they describe as “active impersonation and fraudulent scheme” on the platform.
The Allegations
The legal letter, addressed to Glovo Nigeria Limited’s offices in Ilupeju, Lagos, claims that unauthorized third parties have been using Corporate Ewa’s brand name, trademark specialty “Ewa Agoyin,” advertising materials, and intellectual property to sell food through the Glovo platform. These impersonators allegedly delivered poor-quality food that failed to match Corporate Ewa’s established standards.
“This act of impersonation enabled by your company has caused our client serious loss, inconvenience and reputational damage,” the letter states, adding that the vendor brought the issue to Glovo’s attention but received inadequate response.
The complainant asserts that Glovo confirmed in a September 4 response that the vendors were “registered business entities” rather than impersonators, but failed to provide registration details or documentation proving these entities had authorization to use Corporate Ewa’s intellectual property.
The letter demands that Glovo cease enabling the unauthorized use of the brand, provide full registration details of the impersonating vendors, and take “strict legal actions” within seven days—threatening legal proceedings if the demands aren’t met.
A Pattern of Complaints
While this specific case hasn’t been widely reported, it fits within a broader pattern of operational challenges facing Glovo in Nigeria. The company’s Nigerian operations have been plagued by complaints ranging from payment disputes to customer service failures.
In September 2025, Nigerian lawyer Bamidele Ikusika initiated legal action against Glovo Nigeria, along with Prince Ebeano supermarket and payment processor Paystack, over an unauthorized debit. Ikusika claimed he was charged ₦22,340.70 for a ₦17,180.40 grocery order, with the company citing a “price change” despite the physical receipt showing the original amount. After Glovo’s customer support “inconsiderately dismissed” his complaint, he threatened legal action citing violations of multiple consumer protection laws.
“The allegation made by Glovo’s agent was not only false, but it was also misleading, maligning, mischievous, dishonest and above all, uncharitable,” Ikusika wrote in his complaint letter.
Vendor Verification Gaps
The Corporate Ewa case raises critical questions about Glovo’s vendor verification and quality control processes. According to the company’s own ethics guidelines, stakeholders “must not falsify information or assume someone else’s identity” and fraudulent activity is strictly prohibited.
However, the ease with which bad actors can allegedly impersonate established brands suggests potential gaps in Glovo’s onboarding procedures. Unlike some competitors that have implemented stricter vendor vetting, Glovo’s rapid expansion across 11 Nigerian cities may have outpaced its ability to ensure platform integrity.
A 2025 sentiment analysis of Nigerian food delivery apps by researcher Anselem Kadiri found that Glovo Nigeria generated 169 negative reviews on Google Play Store, with app experience problems mentioned 51 times, payment issues in 41 reviews, and delivery time complaints hitting 38 mentions. Order accuracy—a category that could include brand impersonation—was discussed 57 times with a staggering 91% negative sentiment.
Trust Deficit in Nigeria’s Delivery Market
Glovo’s challenges in Nigeria aren’t unique to the platform. The country’s quick-commerce sector, while experiencing 76% year-on-year growth in 2024, remains plagued by trust issues.
A June 2025 Medium analysis by Semiloore Akoni argued that Glovo failed to adequately localize its operations for the Nigerian market. The platform allegedly pays vendors weekly or longer—a “dealbreaker” in Nigeria where small food businesses need daily payouts to maintain cash flow. Additionally, Glovo’s customer support has been criticized for slow responses and unresolved complaints.
“In Nigeria, customer support is often make-or-break. People are skeptical by default,” Akoni wrote. “Glovo’s customer support? Reports of slow responses, unresolved complaints, and ghosted riders.”
Glovo’s Global Headwinds
The Nigeria allegations come as Glovo faces regulatory scrutiny in multiple markets. In June 2025, the European Commission fined Glovo and parent company Delivery Hero a combined €329 million for antitrust violations. In Morocco, the company settled with competition regulators in 2025 after allegations of abusing market dominance through exclusivity clauses and predatory pricing.
Glovo exited Ghana in May 2024, citing a “reassessment of investment priorities,” raising questions about its long-term commitment to challenging African markets.
Company Response
As of publication, Glovo Nigeria has not publicly responded to the Corporate Ewa allegations. Instagram posts from @ade_authority indicate that Glovo received the legal notice on October 11 but allegedly “refused to acknowledge it” through their Instagram communications.
TechMoonshot reached out to Glovo Nigeria for comment, but did not receive a response by press time.
The Broader Implications
The Corporate Ewa case highlights a critical challenge for delivery platforms in emerging markets: balancing rapid vendor onboarding with adequate verification to protect both consumers and legitimate businesses.
As platforms race to expand their vendor networks and capture market share, inadequate identity verification can enable fraud, damage established brands, and expose customers to safety risks. In Nigeria, where 59% of household income goes to food expenditure—the highest globally according to Picodi—the stakes are particularly high.
For Glovo Nigeria, which claims to have generated ₦71 billion ($42 million) in vendor revenue since launching in 2021, the challenge is existential. Without rigorous vendor authentication, the platform risks becoming a vehicle for fraud rather than a tool for economic empowerment.
The outcome of the Corporate Ewa case—and whether Glovo implements stronger verification protocols—may set a precedent for how delivery platforms operate across Africa’s dynamic but challenging markets.
This article will be updated if Glovo Nigeria responds to requests for comment.
