Its operations span Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, and beyond, offering corporate mobility, travel services, and park solutions that now move over 1.4 million people monthly at the CMS park in Lagos alone.

The company recently made a commendable entry into North America, launching in Brampton, Canada, a region with hundreds of thousands of corporate workers, including employees at Amazon and PetSmart. 

This move comes after three years of strategic planning, board approvals, and partnerships with Canadian stakeholders, including the mayor of Brampton, Patrick Brown, who famously said: “If you can do this in Lagos, you can do this anywhere in the world.”

But the journey has been far from smooth. From surviving COVID-19 shutdowns just six months after launch, while holding loans on 17 brand-new buses they couldn’t use, to restructuring into a self-sustaining business with zero asset ownership and five revenue streams, Treepz has had to learn, adapt, and outlast the challenges that kill most startups.

In this exclusive conversation with Techeconomy, Onyeka Akumah, co-founder and CEO of Treepz, opens up about expansion into Canada, the lessons Lagos taught him, scaling across Africa, and his vision to make Treepz a truly global corporate travel platform.

TE: Treepz recently launched in Canada. Why Brampton as the starting point for your North American expansion?

Onyeka: We first got into Toronto in 2021 during our demo day, and that’s when Brampton’s team showed interest. I met with the mayor, and he was excited about bringing Treepz to Canada from the Brampton region. But we weren’t ready, our priority was still to expand across African markets. 

By late 2024, after a board meeting, we decided the time was right. Brampton made sense because we had their full support since 2021. We also went through accelerator programmes, including the Beehive Programme and the World Trade Centre in Toronto, before securing our first corporate client. Brampton has a huge corporate workforce—Amazon, PetSmart, and others—making it a perfect entry point.

TE: This sounds seamless, but I know market entry is never without challenges. How did you navigate them?

Onyeka: Expanding anywhere means dealing with new people, rules, and systems. In Africa, we entered Ghana, Uganda, and Kenya through acquisitions. That gave us the right people and local knowledge. 

For Canada, my co-founders had been in Toronto for a while, building relationships and meeting stakeholders. The North American market is structured, regulations are clear, and other players have already paved the way. Unlike Nigeria, where we had to work with the government to create the regulatory framework, in Canada we only needed to meet existing requirements and carve out our niche.

TE: There’s a quote linked to this launch — “If you can handle traffic in Lagos, you can handle it anywhere”. What lessons from Lagos shaped your global strategy?

Onyeka: That quote came from Mayor Patrick Brown. He’s been to Lagos, so he knows what it takes to operate there. Lagos was our proving ground—moving from eight people a day to 10,000 took years of patience. The challenges in Nigeria forced us to innovate under tough conditions. If we could build something sustainable there, we could make it succeed in more structured markets like Canada.

TE: Treepz operates in five countries with over 6 million users. What have been your biggest challenges scaling across Africa?

Onyeka: COVID-19 was the first and almost fatal challenge. We were just six months old with 17 brand-new buses and loans to pay, yet we couldn’t move anyone for 10 months. 

The second was finding and retaining the right talent. We expanded into new countries by adopting an “acqui-hire” strategy, acquiring local competitors in countries like Ghana, Uganda, and Kenya to speed entry into new markets, but people challenges followed, as top talent left for higher-paying jobs abroad. 

The third was the funding drought, forcing Treepz to restructure in 2023. We shifted from asset ownership to an aggregation model and reduced dependency on investors. By late 2024, we became self-sustaining—paying salaries and bills from revenue. That gave us the freedom to focus on growth without constant fundraising pressure.

TE: If another pandemic like COVID-19 happens, are you ready?

Onyeka: Yes. In 2019 we were asset-heavy, today we own zero vehicles but operate over 100 in Nigeria alone. We’ve gone from one revenue channel to five, and our geographic spread means if one market suffers, another can support it. We also operate fully remote now, with structures that adapt quickly. If another pandemic comes today, God forbid, we can hedge that risk now, and we’re better positioned as a business.

TE: Why start your Canadian operations with corporate and institutional travel, instead of everyday commuters?

Onyeka: It’s about entry points. Our first Canadian client needed corporate travel, so we began there. Over time, we’ll replicate Nigeria’s daily corporate commute model.

In Nigeria and Kenya, over 5,000 employees use Treepz daily to get to work, and we move over 1.4 million people through CMS Park each month. Canada will follow a similar multi-channel revenue approach.

TE: What does your expansion mean for African startups aiming for regulated markets like Canada?

Onyeka: Build locally first, experiment, and set up proper structures, including corporate governance. Have a board or advisors to challenge your decisions. Get the right team — and if you hire wrong, correct it fast. Dream big, but start small. The world is waiting for African businesses that can deliver at a global standard.

TE: Finally, what’s your long-term vision for Treepz?

Onyeka: To become a world-class corporate travel business serving millions globally. We’ve started in Africa, now North America; next is Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. Treepz turns six in September, but by the time we are 10, I want us moving 100,000 people daily to work and back. I want everyone — our team, investors, and customers — to look back and say, “We built something amazing that started in Lagos and went global.”

This historic journey, which took place from August 7, 2024, to August 11, 2024, successfully transported 96 passengers from Lagos, Nigeria, to Cotonou, Benin Republic, and back.

The successful execution of this international cross-border trip is a huge one for Treepz, adding a new dimension to its service offerings and showcasing the company’s capability to meet the growing demand for reliable transportation solutions across Africa.

Onyeka Akumah, founder and CEO of Treepz, highlighted that Treepz being the first corporate mobility startup to accomplish this milestone is a proud moment for the organisation. “Every day at Treepz, we are motivated by the opportunity to win after building systems for effective transportation in Africa. This is exemplified by Treepz being the pacesetter for similar companies to learn what is possible, emulate our journey and build better transportation for Africans.

“Over the past five years, Treepz has consistently been at the forefront of innovative mobility solutions in Africa. Through our cutting-edge rental marketplace,  we have completed the transportation of over 5 million passengers within the cities of the countries we operate, specifically Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and Uganda. Interestingly, this is the first time Rental Treepz has moved people across international borders and this milestone has further reinforced us as a leader in the African mobility industry” Onyeka added.

Johnny Enagwalor, COO and co-founder of Treepz, also commented, “Completing this cross-border rental trip is not just a testament to our operational excellence; it’s a bold step forward in redefining mobility across Africa. This achievement opens the door for us to innovate further, creating new pathways for cross-border travel that were previously unavailable.”

“We are genuinely excited to have facilitated a safe and seamless travel experience for the 96 passengers on this journey. This trip exemplifies our commitment to helping millions of people move better across the continent, and we look forward to expanding these services to meet the needs of more customers and partners,” Johnny remarked.

Sharing their experiences from the trip, Jennifer, a passenger on this historical journey, expressed, “The entire journey was exceptionally smooth. The Treepz buses were not only comfortable but also equipped with amenities that made the long ride enjoyable. The professionalism of the drivers gave me peace of mind, and I truly felt valued as a passenger.”

Benard, another traveller, said that Traveling with Treepz from Ikeja City Mall, Lagos to Cotonou was an unforgettable experience for him. “The meticulous planning and attention to detail were evident throughout the trip. I wholeheartedly recommend Treepz’s services to anyone seeking reliable and efficient cross-border transportation in Africa.”

The round trip, which covered nearly 1400 kilometres, featured a fleet of 2 well-maintained coaster buses and 3 Toyota Hiace buses. Each vehicle was operated by professional drivers and included full insurance coverage, real-time tracking, and efficient communication throughout the journey, enhancing the overall travel experience.

Meanwhile, earlier last month, the mobility startup announced its partnership with two top firms in Africa to provide over 14,000 employees’ monthly commutes through its innovative staff bus service. They partnered with KingMakers, owners of BetKing and Parallex Bank, a premium financial institution to exclusively offer affordable, convenient and reliable employee transportation services for their staff members.

“Furthermore, Treepz will leverage its cutting-edge technology and high-quality vehicles to provide tailored commuting solutions that cater to the unique needs of KingMakers and Parallex Bank’s workforce. This will address common commuting challenges such as traffic congestion and unreliable public transport. Today, we are looking forward to partnering with more reputable brands like KingMakers and Parallex Bank in the future”, Onyeka Akumah said, while commenting on the dual partnerships. 

Onyeka Akumah added that in 2023 alone, Treepz completed over 50,000 trips for Parallex Bank, which helped to reduce lateness by 35% and boost employee productivity. 

Treepz is focused on making life better for millions of people with solutions to move better. Currently, the company operates in 16  cities and has served over 5 million passengers across Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana and Uganda.

Its other range of on-demand mobility services includes guest transportation, school bus shuttling, and airport transfers.