In a small kitchen somewhere in Lagos, pots once simmered over low heat as Amoke Odukoya stirred her dreams into every plate of amala she served. Today, that same passion has cooked up something extraordinary—₦2.3 billion in revenue and over 500,000 deliveries on Chowdeck, one of Nigeria’s leading food delivery platforms. Known affectionately as Amoke Oge, this once-local vendor is now a symbol of entrepreneurial excellence, cultural pride, and digital-era success.
But behind the mouth-watering meals and milestone numbers lies a story rich in grit, humility, and vision. Here are a few remarkable things you probably didn’t know about the woman who turned amala into a billion-naira business—and inspired a generation of food entrepreneurs.
She Started with Less Than ₦200,000
Long before the viral headlines and billion-naira milestones, Amoke Odukoya was simply a woman with a gift for cooking and a passion inherited from generations before her. In 2015, with less than ₦200,000, she opened her first shop in Pedro, Lagos—not with a grand business plan, but with love for food and an instinct to serve. She wasn’t in it to make a fortune; she just wanted to cook.
Her culinary roots trace back to Araromi, Oyo State, where she learned the ropes from her mother, a food vendor, and later, her sister—Saudi Alamala, a Bariga legend. At first, Amoke catered at parties and social events. Business was slow, and growth was gradual. It took three years before she could open a second branch. But between 2018 and 2023, the tide turned. Amoke Oge expanded to seven locations, including a high-profile branch in Ikoyi.
The secret? She kept cooking. Even as the brand grew, she stayed behind the pots—leading with flavor, consistency, and a belief that every meal told a story.
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A Partnership That Changed Everything
Amoke Oge’s quiet revolution truly began when she embraced digital transformation. In the fast-evolving Nigerian food ecosystem, dominated by platforms like Glovo, Bolt Food, and Jumia, Chowdeck entered the scene in 2021. With its tech-first approach to logistics, delivery, and vendor support, it offered a lifeline to small businesses ready to scale. Amoke didn’t hesitate—she was among the first 100 vendors to sign up.
At the time, her shops were bustling to the point of chaos—queues snaked outside, customers were frustrated, and her staff were stretched thin. But Chowdeck changed that. With foot traffic reduced and orders digitized, her business saw more reach, less stress, and exponential growth.
Over three years, her meals traveled across Lagos and beyond—500,000 deliveries processed and over ₦2.3 billion in revenue recorded. Chowdeck’s CEO, Femi Aluko, recognized her milestone personally, highlighting her as the platform’s first woman-led vendor to hit such figures.
What makes this even more powerful is that she didn’t have to open more shops to reach more people. Through technology, her brand scaled while staying deeply local—amala, ewedu, gbegiri and all—served with care, from kitchen to screen to customer.
Beyond the Billions
It’s tempting to reduce Amoke Oge’s story to numbers—₦2.3 billion in revenue, 500,000 deliveries—but that would miss the bigger picture. Her journey is about far more than food or figures. It’s a reflection of grit, grace, and the quiet power of women who build empires with aprons on and fire in their hearts.
In an economy where women-led businesses still face countless barriers, Hajia Amoke Odukoya carved out a space for herself—and made room for others to follow. She didn’t just cook; she led. She didn’t just serve; she scaled. And in doing so, she flipped the script on what a “local vendor” could achieve in the digital age.
Her consistency, humility, and unwavering commitment to quality turned everyday meals into a brand of trust. She’s shown that traditional cuisine doesn’t have to stay trapped in a single neighborhood—that with the right platform and mindset, it can reach households across the country.
Today, Amoke Oge stands not just as a food vendor but as a cultural ambassador, a digital pioneer, and an icon of what’s possible when passion meets opportunity. She’s no longer just feeding mouths—she’s feeding ambition, one bowl of amala at a time.
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A Legacy Still Simmering
Amoke Oge’s story isn’t one that ends with a sale or a delivery—it’s still simmering, just like the pots in her bustling kitchens. From Araromi to Oshodi, from physical queues to virtual carts, she’s proven that legacy is built one plate, one lesson, one decision at a time.
What started as a simple love for cooking became a blueprint for business resilience and digital transformation. As new vendors flood the food-tech space, her story will continue to serve as a recipe worth replicating—equal parts tradition, tech, trust, and tenacity.
She’s not just the first woman to hit 500,000 deliveries on Chowdeck—she’s the first of many. In her rise, countless others will find inspiration to begin theirs. Amoke Oge reminds us all: in a world of fast food and faster tech, there’s still unmatched power in slow-cooked purpose.
And that might just be the most nourishing thing of all.