For many Nigerians and Africans, the dream of studying, working, or relocating abroad fails because the cost of leaving is often more than the average person can shoulder. This is the gap that TIELLE, a new Nigerian startup led by media and branding expert Solomon Sanusi, is determined to fill.
Positioning itself as Africa’s first dedicated travel-financing platform, TIELLE is building an ecosystem where users can save, access loans, and manage the entire financial side of their travel process, all within a single, secure digital platform.
In this edition of Techparley’s DRIVE100, where we spotlight Africa’s most promising and impactful startups, we turn our attention to TIELLE, the emerging innovator building smarter, safer, and more seamless mobility solution for Nigerians.
“TIELLE is a smart travel financing platform that enables users to save, access loans, and manage travel costs all in one secure app. We make global mobility achievable by providing flexible financial support for travel-related expenses,” Sanusi told Techparley.
Solving the Financial Side of Global Mobility
TIELLE was built to help people whose travel fail because they lack accessible financing. To address that, the platform supports users through visa application fees, flight tickets, proof of funds, tuition deposits, and relocation and settlement costs
In a sector where banks focus on salary loans, travel agencies sell services without financing support, and savings apps are disconnected from verified travel processes, TIELLE’s integrated approach stands out. It merges travel, fintech, and credit solutions in a way the Nigerian market has not previously seen.
“We’re not just helping people save,” Sanusi explains. “We’re removing the financial bottlenecks that stop their plans from becoming reality.”
What You Need to Know
Nigeria’s travel and mobility sector is one of the continent’s fastest rising segments, with thousands applying yearly for academic, work, and relocation opportunities. Yet the financial infrastructure underpinning this demand remains weak.
Most travellers still rely on family contributions, unregulated lenders, or risky borrowing practices. Meanwhile, travel agencies can guide the process but rarely help clients pay for it. Fintech savings apps help users set goals, but none combine verified travel support, global partners, credit access, and structured financing.
“TIELLE sits right at the intersection of intent and ability,” Sanusi says. “People know where they want to go. We help them afford to get there.”
Although newly launched, TIELLE’s rollout has benefitted greatly from its partnership with Social Media Centre Marketing (SMC), a ten-year media and visibility powerhouse also founded by Sanusi.
This partnership has given TIELLE immediate access to in-house creatives, PR resources, influencer networks, and visibility channels that most startups struggle to build.
Milestones so far include:
- Q4 2024: Nationwide research identifying core hurdles—visa costs, flights, relocation expenses
- Q1 2025: Product design, prototyping, and MVP development
- Q2 2025: Strategic integration with SMC, unlocking strong brand synergy
- Q3 2025: Pre-launch visibility reaching 5,000+ impressions across digital platforms
- Q4 2025: Official public launch and ongoing customer acquisition
The momentum suggests a market ready for structured travel financing and a strong appetite among users for such a solution.
A Team Built for Scale and Execution
TIELLE’s strength lies not only in its product but in its deeply skilled, multidimensional team, including:
- Solomon Sanusi – Founder
- Gbolahan “GB” Ogunlolu – Co-Founder & CTO
- Titilope Baptist – Executive Director, Operations
- Joshua Salau – Head of Creative Strategy
- Opeyemi Olaniyi – Business & Development Analyst
- Uthman Adeleke – Legal Adviser
- Eunice Adeniji – Corporate Accountant
- Lateefah Abdulrahman – UI/UX Designer
- Okpanachi Emmanuel – Backend Developer & DevOps Engineer
- Emmanuel Ezejioba – Frontend Developer
The Funding Hurdle
Like most early-stage startups in Africa, TIELLE’s primary challenge has been funding. Remarkably, the platform was built entirely through personal funds and family loans provided to Sanusi.
Despite the constraints, the team achieved MVP development, brand rollout, and marketing execution through tight resource allocation and strategic use of SMC’s internal media infrastructure. This allowed TIELLE to achieve viability without outside investment.
With market traction now visible, TIELLE is preparing to open its first angel investment round to accelerate growth and acquisition.
TIELLE plans to scale into West Africa, followed by East Africa, launching localised versions suited to each country’s financial regulations and travel patterns.
The long-term vision includes launching the TIELLE Global Mobility Fund, and growing to 10+ million users and serving Africans worldwide.
Future of Travel-Tech
Sanusi believes government support is essential for Nigeria’s digital economy to scale. through reduced operational barriers, improved infrastructure, grants, better internet access, and policies that encourage innovation.
On venture capitalists, Sanusi emphasises that the best investors offer more than money, they bring networks, mentorship, credibility, strategic guidance, and long-term support.
Sanusi argues the continent’s biggest obstacle is still access to capital and infrastructure. With more reliable power, stronger internet, and supportive regulation, African startups would scale at a much faster rate
In a country where thousands dream of travelling but are held back by finances, industry leaders say TIELLE is not just another fintech, it is a mobility enabler. For many, it may become the missing link between aspiration and achievement.
Talking Points
It is noteworthy how Tielle is confronting one of Nigeria’s most persistent mobility challenges, the lack of safety, transparency, and reliability in public transport, by building a system that empowers both drivers and commuters with verifiable, real-time information.
This single shift towards a safer, tech-enabled public transport experience positions Tielle as a practical response to the daily fears and uncertainties millions of Nigerians face when boarding commercial vehicles.
At Techparley, we recognise that innovations like this have the potential to reshape mobility beyond major cities, ensuring that everyday commuters have access to a secure and predictable journey.
The introduction of driver verification, reduced cash friction, transport credit access, and transparent trip processes brings a level of accountability the public transport sector has struggled with for decades.
As Tielle scales, building partnerships with transport unions, local governments, and safety organisations could accelerate onboarding and unlock deeper penetration across underserved routes. With the right support, Tielle could become a catalyst for safer, smarter, and more dignified mobility across Nigeria.
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