Onyeka Akumah is a Nigerian technology entrepreneur, startup mentor and investor whose career has spanned transportation, agriculture, e-commerce, real estate and digital innovation.
Born on 21 October 1984 in Lagos State, Nigeria, Akumah is best known as the co-founder and CEO of Treepz, a shared mobility company formerly known as Plentywaka. He has also co-founded technology ventures including Farmcrowdy, Crowdyvest and RentSmallSmall, while contributing to the growth of several major African technology and e-commerce companies.
His career has combined technology, digital commerce and entrepreneurship, with ventures focused on addressing practical challenges in transportation, agriculture and other sectors of the African economy.
Early Life and Education
Akumah was born in Lagos State. Shortly before he turned two, his parents relocated to Sokoto State in north-western Nigeria, where he completed his primary and secondary education.
He later moved to India to pursue higher education at Sikkim Manipal University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Applied Information Technology, graduating with First Class Honours.
His early exposure to technology and his formal training in information technology would later become important foundations for his career in digital businesses and technology-enabled services.
Beginning a Career in Technology and Digital Commerce
Akumah began experimenting with entrepreneurship while still at university, building startups and gaining experience from both successes and failures.
After completing his degree, he began his professional career at the British Council, where he worked as a Webmaster. He subsequently joined Deloitte as E-Marketing Coordinator for East, West and Central Africa.
In 2010, he became Online Marketing Manager at Wakanow, before later joining Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) to work on the launch of its SME Market Hub.
His professional experience expanded through senior marketing and commercial roles at major African e-commerce companies, including Jumia, Konga and Travelbeta. These positions gave him extensive exposure to digital commerce, customer acquisition, marketing and business growth.
Building Farmcrowdy
One of Akumah’s most significant early entrepreneurial ventures was Farmcrowdy, which he co-founded in November 2016 alongside Ifeanyi Anazodo, Akindele Philips, Christopher Abiodun and Temitope Omotolani.
Farmcrowdy was created as a digital agriculture platform connecting small-scale farmers with investors, with the goal of increasing food production in Nigeria.
The company attracted its first angel investment of $60,000 approximately one month after launch. In 2017, Farmcrowdy subsequently received a $1 million seed investment through the Techstars Atlanta accelerator programme.
The platform grew to work with more than 25,000 rural farmers across 16 states in Nigeria, according to the supplied profile.
Farmcrowdy’s work attracted attention from government and business leaders. The company was described by then Vice President of Nigeria Professor Yemi Osinbajo as contributing to the creation of new wealth in agriculture and was later honoured with the National Productivity Order of Merit by the Nigerian government.
In 2019, Farmcrowdy also entered into a partnership with the Oyo State Government aimed at onboarding 50,000 rural farmers in the state.
Treepz and the Transformation of African Mobility
Akumah’s experience in technology and entrepreneurship eventually led him into the transportation sector.
In September 2019, following what the source describes as an unfriendly bus transportation experience, Akumah and co-founders Johnny Enagwolor, Oluseyi Afolabi and John Shaibu founded what would become Treepz.
The company initially operated under the name Plentywaka before rebranding to Treepz Inc. in September 2021 as part of its effort to adopt a name with broader international appeal.
Treepz was established as a shared mobility platform designed to provide commuters with greater convenience, safety and comfort.
The company expanded its operations beyond Nigeria into Ghana and Uganda and, according to the supplied source, had moved more than 800,000 riders.
Its services include shared daily rides, travel rides and ticketing solutions, positioning the company within Africa’s growing mobility technology ecosystem.
In December 2021, Treepz partnered with CMS Taxi and Motor Nigeria Limited (CMS T&M) to digitise transportation services for a large customer base. The partnership covered routes within parts of Lagos, including Marina, Lagos Island, Victoria Island, Ikoyi and Lekki.
Leadership at Crowdyvest
Akumah was also involved in Crowdyvest, another technology-driven venture within his broader entrepreneurial portfolio.
On 2 March 2021, he resigned as CEO of Crowdyvest following the sale of the business. Tope Omotolani subsequently became CEO after leading the acquisition.
Akumah later stepped down as CEO of Farmcrowdy in 2021, allowing the company to continue under new leadership while he focused on his growing mobility venture.
A Career Across Multiple Industries
One of the defining characteristics of Akumah’s career has been his movement across different sectors.
His professional journey has included digital marketing, e-commerce, agriculture, transportation, real estate and technology-enabled financial and commercial services.
Through companies such as Farmcrowdy, Treepz, Crowdyvest and RentSmallSmall, he has participated in the development of technology platforms aimed at addressing practical consumer and business challenges.
His experience at Jumia, Konga, Wakanow, Deloitte and other organisations also gave him exposure to the commercial side of Africa’s rapidly developing digital economy.
Recognition and Industry Influence
Akumah’s work has attracted recognition within Nigeria’s technology and entrepreneurship ecosystem.
He was ranked among the top 10 Nigerian entrepreneurs in a Vanguard list that also featured Uche Pedro, Seun Osewa, Anthony Ejefoh, Linda Ikeji and Temie Giwa-Tubosun.
In 2021, Forbes Africa featured Akumah in an interview with Peace Hyde, where he discussed his entrepreneurial journey.
He was also featured by TechCrunch, speaking about African startups and their efforts to expand internationally.
These appearances contributed to his growing visibility as an entrepreneur working at the intersection of technology, commerce and African markets.
Author
Akumah has also documented his entrepreneurial journey through writing.
On 22 December 2024, he published his autobiography, Zero To Forty: Don’t Stop, Keep Building.
The book chronicles his journey from his early professional experiences at companies such as Jumia and Konga to his work with Farmcrowdy and Treepz, offering an account of the experiences that shaped his career as an entrepreneur.
Mentorship and Knowledge Sharing
Beyond building businesses, Akumah has participated in entrepreneurship events and workshops where he speaks and teaches other founders and aspiring entrepreneurs.
His involvement in mentorship and startup discussions reflects another dimension of his career: sharing practical lessons from his experiences building and scaling technology businesses in Africa.
Building the Next Generation of African Technology Businesses
Onyeka Akumah’s career reflects the evolution of Africa’s technology ecosystem from early digital commerce and online marketing to sector-specific platforms serving transportation and agriculture.
From his early work in e-commerce and digital marketing to co-founding Farmcrowdy and later building Treepz, his career has focused on applying technology to established industries.
Treepz represents the latest major chapter of that journey, bringing digital tools to shared mobility and transportation while expanding across multiple African markets.
Onyeka Akumah Today
Onyeka Akumah continues to operate as an entrepreneur, investor and technology leader, with Treepz at the centre of his current professional profile.
His journey from a technology graduate and digital marketer to the founder of multiple African startups illustrates a career built around experimentation, entrepreneurship and the application of technology to real-world problems.
Through transportation, agriculture, e-commerce and startup investment, Akumah has become part of a generation of African entrepreneurs building technology-enabled businesses around the continent.