Seyi Obadimeji: Entrepreneur helping Nigerians secure affordable apartments

In the highly competitive real estate business in Nigeria, it is difficult to stand out from the crowd. But this is certainly not the case for Seyi Obadimeji, founder of Propello Digital Services – a company focused on solving real estate problems leveraging technology.

Obadimeji was inspired to establish his business owing to personal experience.

“My business was born out of my personal experience with the stress of finding a rental home, scheduling agent appointments and difficulty of saving towards rent or buying a house for the future,” he says.

To change this unpleasant experience for others, Obadimeji established Propello Digital to simplify the process of renting homes, connecting with verified agents and creating structured saving plans for rent and property investments.

“I saw a gap in the market where technology could simplify these processes, making home rentals and property transactions more seamless, transparent, and efficient,” he says.

He says his initial start-up capital was from his savings. “My initial start-up capital was from my savings and reinvested earnings from previous consultancy engagements.”

“Since our core mission is to simplify home rentals, agent connections, and rent savings through technology, we focused on building a lean but scalable digital platform from the outset.”

He says the business has been growing steadily since its establishment.

“Our growth has been steady, with increasing adoption of our PropTech solutions, partnerships with real estate professionals, and continuous improvements in how renters and homeowners access housing solutions.”

According to him, the business has expanded by staying true to its objective of making real estate transactions seamless and financially accessible. “We’ve been able to expand our impact while maintaining a sustainable business model.”

He notes that the business runs on lean but highly skilled employees, complemented by a network of experts and consultants.

Responding to questions on how the business is surviving the highly competitive real estate landscape, he says Propello Digital has differentiated itself in the industry by focusing on digital innovation.

He notes that the business plans to expand its PropTech solutions to include AI-driven property valuation and a digital mortgage advisory service.

He added that Propello Digital also plans to partner with financial institutions for alternative real estate financing and expand its operations across the African continent.

In evaluating the real estate sector, he says the industry has tremendous potential but faces numerous challenges that have limited its contribution to the country’s economic growth.

According to him, the industry opportunity lies in tech-based solutions that enhance transparency and improve property management such as services provided by his organisation. “Also, affordable housing and alternative financing models present huge growth areas.”

Speaking on the challenges confronting the business, he says navigating regulatory complexities and building consumer trust remain problems in the industry. He adds that inadequate access to finance is also another major challenge.

Obadimeji urges the government to simplify property registration and titling processes while improving access to single-digit housing finance.

He also calls for the creation of policies that encourage tech adoption in real estate.

He notes that in dealing with inflation, Propello Digital Services has focused on cost optimisation, strategic pricing, and revenue diversification to mitigate its impact.

“We also explore partnerships that allow us to share costs while delivering value-driven services to clients,” he adds.

He says that bridging the country’s housing deficit requires a multi-faceted approach, adding that public-private partnerships can also accelerate housing delivery at scale.

On his advice to other entrepreneurs, he says, “Entrepreneurship is a journey that requires resilience, adaptability, and a clear vision.”

“Start with a strong value proposition, leverage technology to scale efficiently, and focus on building meaningful relationships. Challenges will always exist, but those who remain innovative and persistent will find success,” he advises.