WE HAVE UPTO A THOUSAND DOWNLOADS OF OUR FOOD APP THIS YEAR ALONE – MIKE EKEGHE

Foodline, can we know when you started and what prompted this?

The idea was birthed over a year ago while I was working on the Island and did not have time to go out for lunch and specifically was looking for a way to order food from specific caterers. Every day, people all over big cities like Lagos struggle with their daily food purchases. They experience difficulty getting prepared food and drinks. Food Line solves this problem. Our app is an e-commerce app in which users can sign in as either a customer or a seller, and the users that sign up as sellers can sell their items to prospective paying customers

You said that you are opened to investors and partners, why?

Because I feel the platform can be a good investment for potential investors and also provide more channels for further expansion into other territories. We strongly believe in the huge potentials of the Nigerian market, we are looking at expansion, we have to be in other cities like Port Harcourt, Onitsha etc. and this is where we need investors.

How many downloads have you had this past one year?

Approximately 1000, we are just a new firm and no day goes without us having some new download from various playstores be it Android or Apple. People have been ordering great foods using our user-friendly mobile app to do that and this is what encourages us.

Do you think that restaurants are eager to sign up and if yes, what are the advantages?

Yes, they are eager and the advantages they get are a wider customer base and therefore more patronage. Signing up gives the restaurant a wider market because we have you placed in our website and mobile app. Over the time, your outlets get periodic reviews and this is good from the brand or restaurant. The advantages of signing up is immense.

Do you foresee expanding to other parts of Nigeria apart from Lagos?

Yes, we plan expanding to Abuja, Ibadan, Enugu, Owerri and Port Harcourt but we are taking it one step at a time, that is why we need investors to be with us on this journey. Paucity of funds has hampered this expansion project but we will get there as the year goes by.

 Do you think that the government have done enough to support SMEs like yours especially NISRAL and BOI?

I believe that Government can do better. They might not be focusing on startups like us especially in the IT ecosystem, by I strongly advise them to look at our angle, though they have been trying through capacity building, interventions and policy statement but they can do better.

What are the challenges that you face?

Poor infrastructure like bad roads, epileptic power etc; we have them numerous from low skillset to logistic challenges to high cost of doing business.

 Have you partnered with Ministry of Tourism and Hotel Association to drive this?

Not yet, but we have plans of doing so in the near future. We are looking at engaging them at various levels from state to federal, also we are engaging the hoteliers and food suppliers. These processes take time but we are doing it one step at a time.

What are the reviews that you have gotten lately?

Mostly 5 star -positive, the reviews we have on the Google Playstore is impressive, you can check it out. These are testimonies of those that have downloaded and used our apps, it is encouraging to see people appreciate what we do.

What are we to expect from you this second part of the year?

To do more public awareness and get more orders for our vendors and in the process more variety and quality food for our end users. We believe that we will be taking these services to other parts of the nation and get people know that they can order foods easily using their phones via our mobile app.

I believe that Government can do better. They might not be focusing on startups like us especially in the IT ecosystem, by I strongly advise them to look at our angle, though they have been trying through capacity building, interventions and policy statement but they can do better.