Onyeka Akumah still remembers the virtual meeting that changed everything. It was 2021, and the Treepz CEO was sitting in a Toronto accelerator space, staring at a computer screen showing Mayor Patrick Brown of Brampton, Ontario.
The conversation was hypothetical then, a discussion about what might happen if an African mobility startup ever decided to expand to Canada.
Four years later, Akumah stood in Brampton City Hall, shaking hands with the same mayor who had taken a chance on his vision.
This time, the conversation was about reality: Treepz had officially launched in Canada, becoming one of the few African startups to monetize in North American markets successfully.
The Seeds of Global Ambition
The journey began in Lagos in 2019, where Treepz started solving a problem every Nigerian professional knew intimately: getting to work safely and affordably. But from the beginning, Akumah and his co-founders, Enagwolor Johnny and John Shaibu harbored bigger dreams.
“The true identity of Treepz has always been to build a world-class business from Africa,” Akumah explains. “That dream is coming into place today and we chose not to lose our identity but use it to fuel our continuous growth.”
By 2024, those dreams had materialized into impressive numbers: 6 million customers served across 25 cities in five countries. But serving customers in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and Uganda was one thing. Cracking North America is an entirely different challenge.
Also read, Nigerian Shared Mobility Startup Treepz secures $2.8M, acquires Ugabus for East African Expansion
The Techstars Connection
The Canadian expansion didn’t happen overnight. It began during Treepz’s participation in the Techstars Toronto accelerator in 2021, where Akumah first encountered the Brampton team.
Mayor Brown’s interest wasn’t just diplomatic courtesy; he saw something in the young Nigerian entrepreneur that resonated.
“If you can handle traffic in Lagos and handle that mobility for staff there, you can handle traffic anywhere in the world,” Brown would later say at Treepz’s official Canadian launch.
The mayor’s logic was compelling: if Treepz could solve transportation challenges in one of Africa’s most complex urban environments, Toronto’s corporate mobility needs seemed manageable by comparison.
That Techstars connection proved pivotal in multiple ways. Not only did it introduce Treepz to Canadian decision makers, but it also attracted Canadian investors who would later fund the company’s expansion across other African markets.
Building for Two Continents
The transition from African to North American operations required shifts in how Treepz operated. “It’s a different kind of mindset building for two cities versus building for two continents,” Akumah reflects.
The regulation alone presented some challenges. Operating in mobility and corporate travel required approvals from designated authorities, establishing new operational structures, and recruiting local talent. But Treepz had been preparing for this moment longer than most realized.
“Corporate governance and setting high standards in our operational duties have ensured that we can easily replicate the same approach of doing business that we’ve built in Africa and do the same in North America,” Akumah explains. “Treepz had always designed its model to meet world class standards, so this helped us with our transition to a new market.”
Also read, Treepz Hits Africa’s Milestone Journey, Completes First International Cross-Border Rental Trip
The company had also expanded its service offerings beyond ground transportation. What began as an employee shuttle service had grown into a comprehensive corporate travel solution covering flights, hotels, experiences, and vehicle rentals. This evolution proved essential for attracting North American corporate clients with more complex travel needs.
The University of Toronto Breakthrough
Landing the African Impact Challenge, a program run by the African Impact Initiative and the University of Toronto, wasn’t just about securing revenue; it was a validation that Treepz could compete with established North American corporate travel agencies.
The two-year partnership involves coordinating travel across four African countries for international participants, a contract that plays directly to Treepz’s strengths.
“We are also grateful to the likes of Efosa and Osas Obano, who ensured we could secure our first contract with the University of Toronto’s sponsored African Impact Initiative. It’s been almost one year of work, but we are now live, and from here on, we invite more corporations to choose Treepz as their corporate travel partner,” explains co-founder Enagwolor Johnny. “The evidence of 6 million customers we’ve served for more than 5 years is proof that we are ready to serve you as well.”
The partnership encompasses flights, accommodation, ground transportation, and experiences across South Africa, Kenya, Ghana, and Rwanda.
For Treepz, it represented proof that their operational capabilities could meet the structured procurement and compliance requirements of North American corporations.
The Support Ecosystem
Treepz’s Canadian success wasn’t achieved in isolation. The company benefited from multiple support programs, including the World Trade Center’s TAP program by Black Entrepreneurship Alliance and the Brampton Entrepreneurs program.
Canadian investors who had supported Treepz’s earlier African expansion also provided guidance for the North American launch.
Erica Henry-Jackman, Brampton’s Manager for Investment Attraction and International Relations, captured the relationship’s evolution: “When we started the BHive Program in Canada, Treepz was our first Nigerian company, and after COVID, you were part of our delegation. So it’s a bit of a homecoming moment.”
The support extended beyond business connections. Efosa and Osas Obano played key roles in securing the University of Toronto contract, demonstrating how diaspora networks can facilitate African startup expansion.
Market Dynamics and Opportunity
Canada presented compelling market fundamentals that attracted Treepz’s attention. With 16.5 million Canadians commuting to work daily and 38.7 million traveling internationally in 2024, the mobility and travel markets offered significant opportunities. Post-COVID workplace changes have also reshaped corporate travel patterns, creating openings for innovative solutions.
But Treepz’s expansion wasn’t just about market size, it was about proving a larger point about African startup capabilities. “We can build globally acceptable and reputable brands right from the streets of Lagos, and Treepz is just one more startup that proves this,” Akumah emphasizes.
The Broader Impact
Treepz’s Canadian launch carries implications beyond the company’s growth trajectory. As one of the few African startups successfully monetizing in North American markets, it’s helping reshape perceptions about African technology companies.
“As more African entrepreneurs and their startups continue to build their companies with the right structure, corporate governance and systems for a global market, we will see more businesses like Treepz expand into new markets and new continents,” Akumah predicts.
His advice for other African founders eyeing global expansion shows hard-won experience: “Stay humble, stay hungry, dream big, start small and seize the opportunity to grow at every point you find with the right preparation behind you long before the opportunity comes. Most importantly, set your structures firmly for the success that will follow.”
What Comes Next
With the excitement of being surrounded by board members and team members who had supported the journey, Akumah emphasized that this milestone represented a beginning rather than an endpoint. “We are now a global brand directly serving customers on two continents, including Africa and North America. But it’s still day one.”
The company has established its global headquarters in Ontario and begun inviting more corporations to choose Treepz as their corporate travel partner. With 6 million customers served over five years as proof of concept, the team believes they’re positioned for the next phase of growth.
For African startups watching Treepz’s journey, global expansion is possible with the right preparation, partnerships, and persistence. Sometimes, the very challenges that seem like limitations, like understanding Lagos traffic, can become competitive advantages in unexpected markets.
As Mayor Brown noted in his remarks, Treepz has joined a growing community of global brands with African roots.
Featured Image(L-R): John Shaibu (Co-Founder & Senior VP, Customer Engagement, Treepz), Enagwolor Johnny (Co-Founder & President, Treepz), Mayor Patrick Brown (Mayor of Brampton, Canada), Onyeka Akumah (Founder & CEO, Treepz), and Ebenezer Arthur (Partner, BKR Capital & Member of the Board of Directors, Treepz).
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