In a country where most people are still trying to figure out one business idea, Ikechukwu Emeka Nweze is already successfully running several. The serial entrepreneur, technologist, and strategic thinker is not only building solutions—he’s designing ecosystems.
From Olilifood, the leading food delivery platform in Delta State, to Vent Africa, a fast and reliable crypto-to-cash platform, and Hizo Africa, a cross-border fintech startup, Ikechukwu’s journey is a masterclass in grit, clarity, and a relentless belief in local possibility. As the man himself often says, “Lagos is not the only place where things can work.”
For this week`s founder in focus, we look into the life, ethos, and entrepreneurial legacy of one of the most quietly influential founders in Nigeria’s emerging tech landscape.
A South East Origins With a National Mindset
Though often described as a “Lagos-level founder operating in Asaba,” Ikechukwu Nweze wears his South-East heritage proudly. Born and raised in Delta State, but originally from Awka, Anambra State, he grew up observing how innovation often skipped over his region.
It became clear to him that those in this region couldn’t keep waiting for ‘the centre’ to come find us, we had to build what we needed ourselves.”
That realisation fueled a desire to solve real, everyday problems with technology, starting with something as simple, yet powerful, as food.
Olilifood: Feeding a Region, Fueling a Revolution
Before Olilifood launched, food delivery in cities like Asaba was informal, inconsistent, and often unavailable online. As a Co-founder of Olili, what Ikechukwu did wasn’t just digitise food orders—he redefined how local logistics and service quality could be approached in a city many investors might ignore.
When Ikechukwu and his partners launched Olilifood, it wasn’t just about delivering food. It was about creating a platform that redefined convenience, supported local vendors, and brought Delta State into the digital delivery age with style.
Today, Olilifood stands as the number one food delivery platform in the region, not just because of its sleek interface or timely deliveries, but because of the ecosystem it has nurtured. Riders, restaurant owners, app developers, customer care teams — all brought together under one mission: making life simpler, tastier, and more connected.
With a slick, user-friendly interface and a highly optimised dispatch system, Olilifood rapidly became a staple in Asaba and Warri. Local restaurants saw revenue spikes. Students and office workers embraced the convenience. Riders became mini-entrepreneurs.
“Olilifood changed the pace of how the food business worked first in Asaba, then later in Warri. It gave restaurants in these cities a new market and gave customers a reason to expect more.”
Beyond food, Olilifood became a symbol: that tech could work beautifully even in small cities.
But for Ikechukwu, Olilifood was only the beginning.
Vent Africa: Crypto To Cash Made Easy
But Ikechukwu didn’t stop at solving problems alone. With Vent Africa, he turned his attention to something bigger, a crypto exchange platform which makes changing your crypto to cash as easy and seamless and fast.
Vent Africa is a fintech platform that specialises in providing crypto-to-cash services, primarily for users in Nigeria. It allows users to quickly and securely convert cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (BTC), Tether (USDT), and Solana (SOL) into Nigerian Naira (NGN), which is then deposited directly into their bank accounts. Vent Africa aims to offer a fast, reliable, and secure way for individuals and businesses to convert their digital assets into spendable fiat currency.
Vent Africa aims to bridge the gap between cryptocurrency and traditional financial systems in Africa, providing a convenient and efficient way for users to access their funds.
Hizo Africa: Making Cross-Border Payments Truly African
One of Ikechukwu’s boldest moves yet is Hizo Africa, a fintech startup with its eyes on the \$30+ billion intra-African remittance market. Starting with Nigeria as its base, Hizo is building the infrastructure to allow Africans to send, receive, and spend local currencies across the continent, without needing U.S. dollars as a middleman.
“We’re not just moving money,” Ikechukwu explains. “We’re building bridges across Francophone, Anglophone, and Lusophone Africa using our own currencies. Hizo is about sovereignty and ease.”
It’s a big dream. But if Ikechukwu’s track record tells us anything, it’s that he knows how to take on big challenges—and make them feel local, usable, and necessary.
The Man Behind the Mission: Discipline, Depth, and Decency
Those who work closely with Ikechukwu often mention three things: his obsession with excellence, his deep work ethic, and his quiet integrity.
Ikechukwu isn’t just building companies; he’s building people. Over the years, many of us have had front-row seats to his mentorship. He doesn’t hoard knowledge. He shares. Freely. Patiently.
For young founders navigating the confusing waters of entrepreneurship, he’s a compass. For creatives trying to find where they fit in the tech space, he’s an advocate. For those with dreams still forming in the dark, he’s often the first to say, “Try it. I’ll support you.”
One colleague said it best: “He doesn’t just open doors. He builds new ones.”
Ikechukwu believes in systems, not noise, in value, not vanity. His ability to bring people together—not just to talk but to build—is what sets him apart.
Lessons From the Journey: Grit Over Glamour
In a Nigerian startup space often dazzled by fundraising announcements and Twitter threads, Ikechukwu’s journey is refreshingly grounded. He bootstrapped when he had to. He adapted during tough periods. He’s scaled teams quietly. And most importantly, he’s stayed local, without being limited.
Here are some lessons every young builder can draw from his path:
- Start where you are, with what you have: Olilifood didn’t start in a venture capital boardroom. It started with a spreadsheet and a few trusted restaurants.
- Build for people, not press: Every Ikechukwu venture solves a real problem for a real user. The headlines came later.
- Don’t just take a seat—build the table: With all his businesses and startups, he created an ecosystem from scratch. That’s leadership.
- Be regionally ambitious, not regionally stuck: His ventures begin in the South-South, but they are designed for Africa. That’s vision.
A Quiet Legacy in the Making
While Ikechukwu Nweze`s story so far is inspirational as he has achieved a lot so far, he is far from done as he is just getting started. There are whispers of more fintech tools in the pipeline, a logistics revamp, and even more platforms and businesses to come.
As Olilifood expands, as Vent Africa increases its users, as Hizo Africa bridges more borders, the impact of his vision will only deepen. And behind each of those milestones will be the same steady hands, the same sharp mind, and the same unwavering belief in Africa’s potential.
But perhaps the most enduring thing he’s building is belief—that one can be African, regional, bold, and deeply local, all at once. That startups don’t have to emerge from Lagos skyscrapers to matter. That meaningful innovation can rise from Aba, Asaba, and Abakiliki.
In a world that often rewards flash over substance, Ikechukwu stands as a calm force—building quietly, empowering steadily, and proving that in the right hands, vision is more than a buzzword.
Final Word
If you’re a young founder wondering whether your city, idea, or path is “good enough,” take a page from Ikechukwu Nweze’s story.
You don’t have to wait for Lagos or move to a major city for opportunities.
You don’t have to beg for a seat.
You can build your own table.
And like Ikechukwu, you just might find that what you build doesn’t just serve your town, but reshapes the entire ecosystem.
