Delivery platform Glovo has outlined an ambitious strategy to deploy artificial intelligence (AI) solutions tailored to Africa’s informal economy, as the company deepens its investment in Kenya’s fast-growing digital marketplace.
Speaking at the just-concluded GITEX Kenya 2026 held at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), Glovo said the future of AI adoption in Africa will depend on how effectively technology addresses real-life operational challenges facing merchants, delivery riders, and consumers.
The company, which operates across Europe, Central Asia, and Africa, used the summit to showcase how predictive intelligence and AI-powered tools are already being integrated into its ecosystem to improve efficiency, safety, and customer experience.
Caroline Mutuku, Managing Director of Glovo Kenya, said Africa’s digital transformation must remain grounded in practical solutions that support the “everyday economy.”
“For an everyday economy to thrive, technology must act as a bridge that helps solve the daily operational challenges experienced by local merchants, riders, and customers,” said Mutuku.
“The informal economy will only truly benefit from AI if it creates reliable and useful opportunities for the workers and businesses generating value every day,” she added.
Mutuku noted that Glovo is leveraging data analytics and predictive operational models to help businesses better forecast demand, identify peak trading periods, reduce waste, and improve inventory planning.
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The company added that riders on its platform are also benefiting from AI-driven operational tools that reduce idle time, improve delivery efficiency, and stabilise earnings.
As part of its rider welfare and safety agenda, Glovo highlighted its ongoing collaboration with the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), including the rollout of a voluntary in-app safety feature that provides driving analytics aimed at encouraging safer road behaviour among delivery riders.
On the consumer side, the company said AI-powered personalisation is enabling customers to receive more relevant recommendations based on their order history, location, and time-of-day preferences, creating a more localised and seamless digital commerce experience.
Beyond customer-facing operations, Glovo said AI is increasingly being used internally to improve productivity across engineering, finance, customer support, legal, and operational teams through workflow automation and process optimisation.
The summit also provided Glovo with an opportunity to strengthen its role within Kenya’s startup ecosystem. As a strategic ecosystem partner and official judge in the GITEX Supernova Startup Challenge, the company awarded the Glovo Kenya PowerUp Award 2026 to Geoinfortrak International Limited.
The award grants the Kenyan startup a fully funded residency at Glovo’s headquarters in Barcelona, Spain, during Startup Campus Week scheduled for October this year.
According to the company, the programme will offer mentorship from Glovo executives, access to Barcelona’s startup ecosystem, investor pitch sessions, and networking opportunities aimed at supporting international expansion.
Industry observers say Kenya remains one of Africa’s fastest-growing digital commerce markets, driven by rising smartphone penetration, increasing internet access, and a growing demand for app-based services.
Glovo said it will continue investing in local partnerships, entrepreneurship, and technology-driven solutions as it seeks to expand inclusive economic opportunities within Kenya’s digital economy.
