Nigeria’s informal economy employs millions of people, yet it remains largely unstructured, under-documented, and underserved by technology. For Tunde Ebohon, founder of workforce management platform Wrkman, this gap represents both a challenge and an opportunity. His journey reflects a growing movement of African founders building solutions tailored to local realities rather than imported models.
Wrkman was born out of firsthand exposure to the inefficiencies facing artisans, casual workers, and small service providers. From construction workers and cleaners to technicians and logistics hands, much of Nigeria’s workforce operates without formal records, predictable income, or access to financial services. Ebohon saw that the lack of structure limited not only workers’ earning potential but also businesses’ ability to scale reliably.
Rather than attempting to “formalise” the informal economy overnight, Wrkman focuses on creating practical systems that work within existing realities. The platform helps businesses source, manage, and pay verified workers while providing workers with job consistency, digital records, and pathways to financial inclusion. By digitising workflows such as onboarding, attendance, and payments, Wrkman introduces order without disrupting how people already work.
Ebohon’s leadership philosophy is rooted in clarity and empathy. He believes building for the informal economy requires deep understanding, not assumptions. This approach shapes Wrkman’s product design and company culture, emphasising simplicity, trust, and long-term value over rapid but fragile growth. According to him, leadership is less about control and more about building systems that empower people to perform at their best.
Scaling Wrkman has also meant navigating Nigeria’s complex business environment, from infrastructure gaps to behavioural change. Ebohon acknowledges that technology alone is not enough; adoption depends on education, partnerships, and consistent execution. As a result, Wrkman works closely with businesses and workers to ensure the platform solves real problems rather than adding new layers of complexity.
Looking ahead, Ebohon sees structure as the foundation for unlocking productivity and dignity within the informal economy. With better data, workers can access credit and insurance, while businesses gain reliability and accountability. For him, Wrkman is not just a startup—it is an infrastructure play aimed at reshaping how work is organised in Nigeria.
In building Wrkman, Tunde Ebohon is proving that sustainable innovation starts with understanding people, then designing systems that help them thrive.
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