Nigeria’s Workjeje is an innovative online platform that connects individuals and companies to quality service providers in their vicinity. It specifically caters to urban dwellers who prioritize quality and convenience.
Workjeje, the brainchild of University of Nigeria students Fortune Nwankwo, Collins Onyebuchi, and Ejike Anthony, was born in 2021 out of a shared frustration with unreliable service providers. Their determination to address this issue was fueled by a personal experience. “It was tough to get service providers, let alone reliable ones,” Nwankwo shared with Disrupt Africa. “They were so unserious, they’d tell you they would come in the afternoon and show up four days later, and worst of all might deliver mediocre services.” This personal struggle ignited a passion in them to create a platform that would revolutionize the service industry.
The solution came when Collins shared his idea with Nwankwo, who brought in his programmer friend, Wisdom, to build the platform. This collaboration marked the beginning of Workjeje.
Unlike its competitor Wrkman, which focuses on the quantity of artisans, Workjeje is unwavering in its commitment to quality. “Customers were concerned about the artisans being pre-vetted, especially women who want to feel safe with a stranger in their home,” Nwankwo explained. “We pre-vet our artisans by onboarding them ourselves and monitor their contracts and ratings to maintain optimum quality.” This dedication to quality and safety sets Workjeje apart, ensuring that every service provider on the platform is reliable and trustworthy.
Customer feedback is not just welcomed at Workjeje, it’s crucial. During the test phase, some customers felt the vetting process was not thorough enough, and some artisans did not meet expectations. In response, the team took immediate action, removing unreliable artisans and improving their vetting process, prioritizing service companies with more at stake. This responsiveness to customer feedback is a testament to Workjeje’s commitment to continuous improvement and customer satisfaction.
Currently operating in Abuja and Enugu as test markets, Workjeje is taking a measured approach to growth. “We were funded twice by friends – first at the building stage and the second at the marketing phase,” Nwankwo said. “Getting ten successful transactions was a major boost for us even though we were still in the testing phase. It showed us that people were ready to pay for our convenience. Right now, we have processed over 70 transactions.”
To address artisan concerns, Workjeje recently introduced an escrow service designed for delivery services to protect against unpaid bills. Depending on the agreement, the startup collects between five and 10 per cent from its artisans as fees. Additionally, Workjeje plans to incorporate advertisements on its platform shortly.
Looking ahead, Workjeje aims to expand to central states and cities across Nigeria and eventually Africa. “We plan on expanding to major states and cities across Nigeria, and in time, Africa to limit the macro influence on our business,” Nwankwo concluded.
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