Questions are being raised about the onboarding systems used by food delivery platforms in Nigeria after an investigation revealed how easily businesses can allegedly be impersonated online.
The issue gained attention in December 2025 when food brand Corporate Ewa publicly accused fake vendors of cloning its identity on Glovo despite the company never officially registering on the platform. According to the business owner, unauthorised stores used photos and branding materials taken directly from the company’s social media accounts to appear legitimate.
Following the complaint, reporters from Techpoint Africa conducted an independent test to examine the vendor approval process on major delivery services, including Glovo and Chowdeck.
As part of the investigation, the journalists reportedly created a fake restaurant profile using the identity of a well-known Lagos-based food business that was not listed on the delivery platforms. The aim was to determine whether existing verification systems could detect impersonation attempts before a store becomes operational.
During the registration process on Glovo, the team supplied fabricated information, including a false address and an invented tax identification number formatted to resemble a Nigerian business TIN. Despite the inaccurate details, the application reportedly progressed without any automated warning or verification failure.
The investigation suggested that submitted information may not have been cross-checked against publicly available records from agencies such as the Corporate Affairs Commission or Nigeria’s tax verification systems.
The reporters also claimed they were able to upload menu items and food images sourced from the real restaurant’s social media pages without immediate restrictions. Shortly after the onboarding steps were completed, the platform reportedly issued a partnership agreement and later contacted the applicants for follow-up questions.
The findings have renewed conversations around digital marketplace security, identity verification, and consumer protection within Nigeria’s fast-growing online food delivery sector.
Industry observers say weak onboarding procedures could expose customers to fraud, damage the reputation of legitimate businesses, and create trust issues for digital commerce platforms operating in highly competitive markets.
The incident also highlights the broader challenge facing technology platforms as they scale rapidly across emerging markets where identity verification systems and regulatory enforcement are still evolving.
