“Operational Resilience and Market Validation in Nigeria’s Proptech Sector” — Chisom Okorie Reflects on Ule Homes’ Growth Trajectory

Lagos, Nigeria — Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Ule Homes, Chisom Okorie, has shared insights into the challenges and milestones of building a property technology company in Nigeria, describing the journey as “two years of heartbreaks” marked by resilience and growth.

Okorie, whose company focuses on transforming rent into credit and expanding access to homeownership, said early skepticism about Nigeria’s housing sector nearly discouraged the team. According to her, many experts initially believed the country’s housing deficit was “impossible” to address through proptech solutions.

“While the experts were talking about why it couldn’t work, we were busy looking at our dashboard,” she said, noting that consistent customer demand for rent financing and rent-to-own products kept the team focused.

She revealed that one of the toughest aspects of her role has been balancing operational discipline with personal relationships, recalling early experiences where even acquaintances had to be denied access to financing due to strict eligibility requirements.

However, her most challenging moment came recently when a nearly finalized deal for a 30-unit construction project fell through just days before disbursement.

“We were 48 hours from disbursement,” she explained. “Then the developer informed us he had secured alternative funding and no longer needed the facility.”

Okorie described the incident as a “heartbreak,” given the time and resources invested in due diligence and coordination. Despite the disappointment, she said the experience also validated the growing demand within Nigeria’s housing and financing market.

“It was a sting, but also a signal that there is aggressive real demand for what we are building,” she added, noting that the developer has already expressed interest in future collaboration.

Reflecting on the company’s progress, Okorie said Ule Homes has evolved from offering rent financing to supporting both homebuyers and developers with broader funding solutions.

She emphasized that the journey has tested her creativity, endurance, and leadership capacity, while opening new opportunities for growth and impact.

“Capacity is built in the stretch,” she said. “Leading operations has pushed me beyond what I thought possible.”

Okorie concluded by reaffirming the company’s commitment to tackling Nigeria’s housing challenges, expressing optimism for continued innovation and long-term impact in the sector.