Rare Eswatini-Born Startup Swoop Raises USD 7.3 M Seed To Enter Nigeria’s Food Delivery Market

Swoop, an Eswatini-based food delivery startup formerly known as Thumo, has raised USD 7.3 M in seed funding to expand into Nigeria and advance its super-app ambitions.

Founded in 2025 by Aubrey Niederhoffer and Edwin Ruiz, the company launched in Eswatini before entering Lagos, starting in Yaba.

Long Journey, Variant, Version One, Dune Ventures, Soma Capital, Zero Knowledge Ventures, Walter Kortschak, and Base Capital backed the round.

Swoop plans to begin with food delivery, leveraging independent riders and commission-based revenue, before expanding into additional verticals like groceries and mobility.

Targeting Nigeria’s underpenetrated but growing food delivery market, the startup aims to grow demand rather than compete on price, focusing on converting new users.