“People thought we were mad,” remembers Nigerian entrepreneur Obi Ozor as he talks about the early days of his company Kobo360. The company provides an e-logistics platform that links truck owners with clients requiring cargo transportation – an Uber for trucks. Truck owners were also hesitant to take on trips offered by the then-unknown Kobo360. “That’s where you could find some activity from the Niger Delta militants who would extort money from the truck drivers,” remembers Ozor. To convince truck owners to drive the route, Kobo360 frequently had to pay them upfront, borrowing working capital from relatives and friends.

Source: The North Africa Journal July 28, 2020 13:18 UTC