In a landmark moment for African innovation, Treepz—the fast‑growing corporate travel and mobility platform headquartered in Lagos—has officially launched operations in Canada. The announcement was made at Brampton City Hall on July 30, 2025, marking Treepz’s debut into the North American market and cementing its status as a global player in corporate mobility.
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A Historic Launch in Brampton
The official launch was hosted by the Mayor of Brampton, Patrick Brown, who offered a warm welcome and emphatic statements of support. “If you can handle traffic in Lagos, you can handle traffic anywhere in the world,” the mayor remarked—an expression of confidence in the resilience and operational excellence Treepz has demonstrated over the years.
Present at the event were co‑founders Onyeka Akumah (CEO), Enagwolor Johnny (President), and John Shaibu (SVP, Customer Engagement), together with board representatives, including Ebenezer Arthur of BKR Capital. The gathering symbolised the convergence of African technical ingenuity and Canadian municipal support.
The Vision Behind the Expansion
Treepz began life in 2019, originally operating under the name Plentywaka in Lagos. Since then, the company has grown rapidly, serving 6 million customers across 25 cities in five countries—including Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, and now Canada. Their digital platform provides corporate travel solutions that include buses, ride-sharing, concierge services, flights, hotels, and curated experiences.
CEO Onyeka Akumah shared that expansion into Canada is the fulfilment of a long-held ambition: “We wanted to build a world-class mobility brand from Africa,” he said. The launch represents both symbolic and operational global growth for Treepz and a powerful testament to African tech’s global relevance.
Winning Their First North American Client
Treepz’s entry into Canada was marked by the announcement of a major two‑year contract with the University of Toronto’s African Impact Initiative, their first corporate client in North America. Under the agreement, Treepz will manage logistics, including international flights, local transportation, accommodations, and curated experiences for delegations travelling from Canada to South Africa, Ghana, Kenya, and Rwanda annually.
Enagwolor Johnny described the African Impact Initiative partnership as a validation of Treepz’s service quality: “Our track record of 6 million customers over five years demonstrates our readiness to scale operations globally”—and North America is the next frontier.
Strategy Rooted in Prepared Growth
This strategic leap did not happen overnight. Treepz’s journey to Canada began in 2021 when the company joined the Techstars Toronto accelerator, forging early connections with local stakeholders, including Mayor Brown. These early engagements laid the groundwork for expansion, providing access to Canadian investors, partner programs, and city support networks like the World Trade Centre’s TAP, Black Entrepreneurship Alliance, and the Brampton Entrepreneurs Program.
Leadership at Treepz emphasises that the company’s internal systems, governance, and operational model were designed from the outset to meet international standards, facilitating rapid scaling into a structurally advanced market like Canada.
A Compelling Market Opportunity
Canada’s business travel and commuter landscape offers fertile ground. Statistics show approximately 16.5 million Canadians commute daily, while 38.7 million outbound travellers were recorded in 2024—highlighting a substantial market for corporate travel logistics and group mobility services.
Treepz’s combination of technology-driven efficiency, sustainability-driven shared-mobility solutions, and end-to-end service offerings positions it to address needs unmet by traditional travel agencies or ride-hailing platforms.
What Makes Treepz Distinct
Treepz differentiates itself through several attributes:
- Comprehensive travel coordination: Book and manage flights, buses, hotels, and experiences from a unified platform.
- Focus on corporate clientele: Services tailored to institutions, businesses, mission delegations, educational groups, and event logistics.
- Tech-first architecture: Demand-responsive scheduling, real-time tracking, flexible fleet scaling, and data-driven route optimisation.
- Sustainability credentials: Facilitating shared mobility has enabled Treepz to reduce carbon emissions significantly—supporting corporate ESG goals.
- High performance across diverse markets: Proven ability to operate in complex urban environments and expanding smoothly into structured markets like Canada
Voices from Supporters & Stakeholders
Mayor Patrick Brown praised Treepz’s founders as “brilliant entrepreneurs” and reiterated that handling Lagos’s legendary traffic is a strong signal of operational capability. “Welcome to Brampton. Welcome home,” he affirmed at the launch ceremony.
Erica Henry-Jackman, Brampton’s Manager for Investment Attraction, described Treepz’s presence in Canada as a “homecoming moment” and recalled how Treepz had been one of the first Nigerian companies to participate in Brampton’s BHive program post-pandemic.
What Lies Ahead
As Canada becomes Treepz’s first North American base—now serving clients from both Africa and North America—the company is actively inviting more corporations to engage with its platform. They’ve established Ontario as their global headquarters, signalling long-term commitment and expansion plans across corporate, educational, and institutional clientele in North America.
Onyeka Akumah sums up the moment: “This launch is not only for Treepz—it’s for African startups. Building globally recognised brands from Africa is entirely possible. This is a statement, and it’s still day one.”
Why This Matters
Treepz’s Canadian launch is significant for several reasons:
- Representation on a global stage: It reinforces that African tech companies can compete in sophisticated, highly regulated North American markets.
- Proof of concept for global expansion: It shows that well-structured African platforms can cross continents and win major institutional partnerships.
- Inspiring ecosystem impact: Treepz is a beacon for other African founders seeking global traction, highlighting the role of diaspora networks, grant and accelerator programmes, and early multinational investor interest.
- Sustainability and impact alignment: With ESG concerns rising, Treepz’s shared mobility focus aligns with global corporate priorities.
Conclusion
Treepz’s official launch in Canada on July 30, 2025, with the University of Toronto’s African Impact Initiative as a flagship client, stands as a milestone for both African entrepreneurship and corporate travel innovation. The backing from Brampton officials, long-term strategic planning via Techstars connections and local investor support, and operational readiness built over six years have all converged in this pivotal moment.
The company now invites corporations and institutions across North America to partner with Treepz for structured, tech-driven, mission-critical travel solutions. With 6 million travellers served, operations in five countries, and a new global headquarters in Ontario, Treepz is poised to reshape how corporate travel is managed across continents.
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