PricePally is reengineering how food is sourced and distributed in Nigeria’s fragmented food supply chain. Jummai Abalaka, the company’s co-founder and Chief Operating Officer, is at the forefront of its operations. She plays a central role in steering its strategy and day-to-day execution.
Nigeria’s food and grocery sector faces persistent challenges, including rising inflation, post-harvest losses, fragmented supply chains, and an underdeveloped retail infrastructure. These issues often result in high food prices and limited access to quality produce, especially for urban dwellers, low-income households, and time-constrained professionals. PricePally, a food-tech startup founded in 2019, is working to solve this need.
PricePally is a digital food cooperative that connects consumers directly with farmers and wholesalers. Through a group-buying model, customers—including families, restaurants, and small businesses—can purchase food items collaboratively, gaining access to wholesale prices that are typically unavailable to individual buyers.
The platform aims to offer more affordable pricing, improved product traceability, and greater user convenience by streamlining the food supply chain and cutting out intermediaries. Its model also provides better margins for smallholder farmers and helps reduce food waste through demand aggregation.
PricePally currently serves customers in Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt, and has grown to handle thousands of transactions. The company’s reach extends to the Nigerian diaspora, some of whom use the platform to send food packages to family members back home.
The co-founder’s venture into entrepreneurship was driven by a desire to address the growing problem of food insecurity in Nigerian cities. Jummai Abalaka and her co-founders, Luqman Balogun and Olatokunbo Balogun, have created a more efficient and equitable food distribution system.
The startup’s solution has resonated with a broad customer base, ranging from busy professionals and families to small food vendors seeking dependable bulk supply. Reviews on the platform often highlight the convenience and cost savings it offers.
“It has been an amazing experience with Pricepally. The burden of going to the market has been taken off me. It’s convenient, with competitive prices and fresh foodstuffs,” says Aminat Adekoya, a happy customer.
The company has also participated in startup accelerator programs and received backing from investors interested in scalable African ventures within the agricultural and technology sectors.
In November 2024, PricePally received a ₦7 million (About $4,360 thousand) grant through a program organised by the Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture & Food Systems, in partnership with the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) and Eko Innovation Centre. The grant program is designed to support agripreneurs in building scalable and sustainable solutions within Nigeria’s food ecosystem.
As COO, Jummai Abalaka is focused on expanding the startup’s footprint while maintaining operational efficiency. Her leadership is instrumental as the company explores new markets and innovations within the digital food distribution space.
