The CEO of Chowdeck, Femi Aluko, recently spoke about the amount his company’s bicycle riders make, stating that they earn an average of ₦100,000 weekly.
Aluko made the claim during an appearance on Business Morning on Channels Television. However, members of the public questioned the statement, with some arguing that Chowdeck riders do not look like people who earn ₦100,000 weekly.
NBG Africa decided to find out the truth by speaking directly with Chowdeck riders to understand how much they earn and the challenges they face while working. 
Chowdeck is an on-demand online delivery service and marketplace in Africa that delivers food, groceries and medicine directly to customers’ doorsteps.
NBG Africa visited a Chowdeck parking area in Lagos and asked riders questions about the dynamics of the job, their earnings and the challenges they face.
Chowdeck Bicycle Rider Reveals He Earns Up to ₦250,000 Monthly
Samuel, a Chowdeck bicycle rider, told NBG Africa that he completed secondary school but did not attend university.
Samuel said he earns an average of ₦50,000 to ₦60,000 weekly. Based on his weekly earnings, he makes about ₦200,000 to ₦250,000 monthly.
When NBG Africa asked if the money was enough for him, Samuel said it was not enough. He added that, apart from delivering food and groceries, he wants to venture into stock investing. He expressed his desire to invest in the Dangote Refinery IPO.
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Chowdeck Rider Explains How Orders and Targets Affect Earnings
Joseph, a Chowdeck motorcycle rider, explained some of the challenges he faces while delivering orders.
He said that when he has an issue with a customer and cannot resolve it directly, the company’s support team steps in to resolve the matter.
NBG Africa asked Joseph if the company deducts money from riders when customers make complaints or when delivery problems occur.
He explained that when a rider cannot deliver an order or a customer refuses to collect an order because of an issue, Chowdeck may deduct the money from the rider’s expected earnings. However, he said the company sometimes does not make the deduction depending on the case.
“This work na target work, the more you deliver the more your money increases,” he said.
Joseph said 10 orders can sometimes earn more than ₦20,000. He added that he targets about 15 orders each day.
He also explained that Chowdeck riders can earn additional money through challenges on the app. According to him, riders receive challenges based on the number of orders they complete or the distance they cover.
He said riders can receive challenges such as completing 10 or 15 orders or covering 90 kilometres. When they complete the required target, they receive additional earnings from the challenge.
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Fuel Price Increase Affects Chowdeck Riders’ Earnings
Precious, another Chowdeck motorcycle rider, told NBG Africa that the increase in fuel prices has affected his earnings.
He explained that riders buy fuel with their own money rather than receiving fuel from the company. According to him, the increase in fuel prices has reduced the amount of money he takes home.
Precious said he earned more before the fuel price increase.
Chowdeck Rider Highlights Customer Delays and Accident Risks
Another Chowdeck motorcycle rider, popularly known as Ijoba, told NBG Africa that difficult customers remain one of his challenges.
He said some customers delay riders for about 20 minutes after they arrive at the delivery address before collecting their orders. He added that some customers still fail to acknowledge the delay after finally collecting their food or groceries. Ijoba said he calmly gives customers their orders and leaves despite such situations.
He also identified fuel costs as another major challenge for riders. In addition, he highlighted the risk of accidents that delivery riders face while transporting food and groceries to customers.
According to him, Chowdeck provides insurance coverage for riders when they have accidents. He said the company takes care of affected riders until they recover and ensures that they receive the necessary support. Ijoba said:
“If you put body well from Monday to Sunday you go make money”.
He added that riders can make more than ₦150,000 in a week when they work consistently.
According to him, riders previously earned as much as ₦250,000 weekly. Lately, their earnings have now dropped to between ₦150,000 and ₦160,000 because of the rising cost of fuel and the drop in order.
“Work no dey like before,” he said.
What Chowdeck Riders Say About Their Earnings
The responses from the four Chowdeck riders show that their earnings can vary depending on the number of orders they complete, the targets they achieve, fuel costs and the amount of work available.
While Samuel said he earns between ₦50,000 and ₦60,000 weekly because he is a Chowdeck bicycle rider, Ijoba said Chowdeck motorcycles riders can earn between ₦150,000 and ₦160,000 weekly when they work consistently.
Joseph also explained that the job operates largely on targets, with riders able to increase their earnings by completing more deliveries and meeting additional challenges.
The riders also identified fuel costs, customer delays, complaints, accident risks and fluctuations in available work as some of the challenges that affect their earnings.
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