Ideas for great products and services are not necessarily derived from complex life experiences; they can also arise from the petty things we endure or enjoy – Ayegbusi Temitope
This has been the experience of many creators, founders, and innovators who have invested their energy in creating solutions that help people.
One of the sectors that has proven to shape the world system is accommodation and housing. According to Jonas Parby, World Bank Urban Specialist, he said, “Apart from the immediate and obvious benefits of adequate housing, a well-functioning housing sector leads to economic growth that can improve livelihoods, create jobs, and expand the market for goods and services.”
As an integral part of the world’s economy, a place to lay one’s head is as important as the breath we take in; hence, accommodation plays a huge role in the development of a country. According to Statista, the Real Estate market in Africa is expected to reach a value of US$15.98 trillion by 2024.
This is proof of the demand for a place to stay, and beyond that, it’s also evidence of the diversification in the accommodation needs of people across the continent.
How Davidson Okafor, Founder of hostel.ng, aims to change the narrative of short-stay accommodation stay in Africa:
Davidson Okafor is one of the founders of hostel.ng, aiming to change the narrative of short-stay accommodation stays in Africa. Here is a bit of the history of hostel.ng, directly from him.
“This was not the initial idea behind hostel.ng. At first, I wanted to create a direct repository where university students can get their yearly room without the use of an agent. This was an idea I had when I traveled to Anambra for the first time.
As a Lagos boy, born and raised in Lagos, traveling to Anambra was an adventure that meant a lot to me. I schooled in Anambra and got my first degree there. At the time of registration, I didn’t have anywhere to stay, neither did I have anywhere to stay for the rest of the session.
I was also on the edge of losing the house rent fees to a scammer. At that time, it was a light bulb moment to create a platform that helps students like me get apartments without having to deal with agents. My team and I pursued this for a while, but it just didn’t work as planned. Many students couldn’t afford to use our platform.
At the time, we were considering shutting down completely, not until we decided to give it another shot. This time, we tried solving the root of the problem, i.e., helping the students make money. We decided to help students make money by leveraging students who already have hostels off-campus.
Students get to lease their rooms on our platform, making them available for people (travelers) to book these rooms for a short stay. By doing this, we help the students make money, reduce traveling expenses, and overall make accommodation even more accessible to people.
Over time, this worked. Some students made money, and we also made money. In all of this, we’ve identified an even bigger opportunity. Looking at our data, we know we have to take that and we’ve got a product we named “Zimmr” to do just that.
We look forward to sharing with you what Zimmr is all about. Anticipate.”
Conclusion:
Concepts can develop into realities if we want them to. Today, we celebrate the impact of hostel.ng and look forward to the next big thing.
If you are unfamiliar with hostel.ng, this is your chance to get familiar. Log on to the website www.hostel.ng and get signed up or you can click here to directly make a booking.
