By By Reporter | Business Express
On-demand delivery company Glovo has marked its fifth anniversary in Uganda with the opening of a new office in Kampala, highlighting both its rapid growth and its push to lead the country’s green mobility transition.
Since launching operations in 2020, Glovo has invested more than UGX 33 billion in the Ugandan market. The company’s ecosystem now supports over 6,000 jobs, including direct staff, partner restaurants, stores, and riders. Its network has grown to include more than 3,000 local merchants, 95 percent of them small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), collectively generating UGX 143 billion in direct economic value.
Uganda has become Glovo’s benchmark for sustainability across its global operations. In 2024, nearly 37 percent of all deliveries in the country were completed using electric or other non-combustion vehicles—the highest proportion across Glovo’s markets worldwide. At present, 39 percent of riders use electric motorbikes, a figure the company plans to increase to 70 percent through a joint subsidy program with Ugandan e-mobility partner Zembo.
The shift to electric mobility has already had tangible impact: Glovo reports a 21 percent reduction in CO₂ emissions from its Ugandan operations, alongside a 58 percent cut in riders’ fuel costs, saving them an average of UGX 84,500 per month.
“Uganda has been one of Glovo’s most inspiring growth stories,” said Ivy Maingi, Country Manager for Uganda. “We are enabling digital commerce, unlocking thousands of income opportunities, and building the greenest delivery network in our global operations.”
Government officials have also taken note of Glovo’s role in advancing innovation and sustainability. Dr. Cosmas Mwikirize, Superintendent of Industrial Value Chains Development at the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, praised the company’s contribution, saying it demonstrated “how the platform economy can accelerate both digital transformation and sustainable growth.”
Currently operating in Kampala, Mukono, and Entebbe, Glovo has set its sights on doubling its business footprint in Uganda within the next two years. The company points to strong potential in digital payments and cashless commerce as drivers of its next growth phase.
Beyond Uganda, Glovo’s impact on the continent has been substantial. Between 2020 and 2024, the platform generated more than €1 billion in direct economic value for 45,000 African businesses, with 90 percent of these being SMEs.
The company’s newly opened office at AHA Towers on Lourdel Road in Kampala will serve as a hub for partner support, rider engagement, and recruitment, further cementing Glovo’s commitment to its Ugandan operations and its long-term sustainability agenda.
