In Lagos, a startup is turning errands, airport runs and deliveries into verified work
The Naija Concierge matches clients with vetted drivers, errand runners and inspectors it calls Gigsters, and pays them through the app. It is betting that trust is the thing Lagos logistics has been missing.
Lagos — Lagos runs on people who get things done for other people. Someone collects the parcel, meets the flight, checks on the house, queues at the office. The work is real and constant. What it has rarely had is a contract, a record or a guarantee of payment.
The Naija Concierge, a Lagos startup, is building its business on changing that.
One service, many jobs
To a client, the company is a single point of contact. It arranges airport pickups, private drivers, security escorts, errands and deliveries, property inspections and guided trips, and describes itself as "your trusted layer on the ground".
A booking takes about a minute, the company says. The client chooses a service, a date and a state, receives a quote and confirms on WhatsApp. Nothing is dispatched or paid for before the quote is agreed, and the work is documented with photos or video.
There is no subscription for occasional users, who pay per confirmed booking. A basic airport arrival starts at ₦25,000. Monthly memberships start at ₦45,000.
The Gigsters
Behind each booking is a worker the company calls a Gigster. They sign up in one of five categories: drivers; errands and personal assistance, including gift and grocery delivery; verification, such as property videos and vendor checks; welfare and home care; and security escort.
This is where the company is doing something informal work has not done. Before a Gigster can receive a job, they must complete a profile photo, government ID, a video introduction and two references. Before they can be paid, their national identity number, bank verification number and bank account must match.
Payment then goes to their bank account through Paystack. Earnings depend on the type, volume, location and complexity of the jobs they complete, and those with a strong record qualify for more.
Why it matters
Two things follow from that design. A client, often someone abroad sending help to family or arriving after years away, gets a named and verified person where there used to be a phone number passed on by a friend. And the worker gets a track record that belongs to them.
Lagos is the launch city. Requests elsewhere in Nigeria are handled by quote.
More information: thenaijaconcierge.com.
