Nigerian mental health technology startup Mytherapist is helping individuals and couples access professional therapy through online consultations, appointment bookings and digital wellbeing tools, as it seeks to make mental healthcare more accessible and affordable.
Founded in 2021 by Oluwaseun Raphael Afolayan and Dedoyin Ajayi, the startup has recorded more than 25,000 users, over 4,000 completed paid bookings and onboarded more than 120 therapists, with over 90 currently active.
The platform also provides corporate wellbeing services and an optional paid membership, Prime, while exploring ways to expand its reach through employers and health maintenance organisations (HMOs).
According to co-founder Afolayan, the startup is addressing the difficulties people face in finding qualified professionals, understanding therapy costs and arranging appointments.
What to Know About Mytherapist
Mytherapist is a Nigerian digital mental healthcare platform designed to simplify how people discover, book and receive professional psychological support.
Founded in 2021 by Oluwaseun Raphael Afolayan and Dedoyin Ajayi, the startup launched a pilot in October 2022 before opening its platform to the public and commencing paid therapy bookings in January 2023.
The company emerged from the founders’ recognition that many people experiencing emotional difficulties struggled to access reliable and affordable mental health services, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic and following the EndSARS protests.
“The idea came from the difficulty of finding reliable, affordable support during the pandemic and the aftermath of the EndSARS protests. That experience affected me and people around me,” said Afolayan.
Through its platform, users can identify suitable therapists, check their availability, understand appointment costs and book consultations. Therapy sessions are delivered through video, audio or chat, allowing individuals to receive professional support remotely.
Afolayan explained that the startup was built around the practical challenges people encounter when seeking therapy, including questions about whom to consult, how much treatment costs, when appointments are available and how to fit sessions into their daily schedules.
Bridging the Gap Between Mental Health Needs and Professional Care
Mytherapist is addressing the difficulties people face when attempting to access professional mental healthcare, particularly the gap between recognising the need for support and successfully receiving it.
According to Afolayan, people may be willing to try therapy but struggle to identify a suitable professional, understand the financial implications or arrange an appointment that fits their schedules.
“We saw a gap between deciding you need support and actually receiving it. Someone may be willing to try therapy but still struggle to identify a suitable professional, understand the price or arrange an appointment,” he said.
Beyond connecting users with therapists, the platform provides mood tracking, journaling, meditation and breathing exercises to support their wellbeing between appointments.
These tools allow users to reflect on their emotions, monitor changes in their moods and practise activities that support their everyday mental wellbeing alongside professional care.
The startup serves individuals and couples seeking therapy, while also providing access through employers and health maintenance organisations. This approach is intended to reduce reliance on individuals paying for mental healthcare entirely from their personal funds.
“Our approach combines therapist discovery, booking and remote sessions with tools people can use between appointments. We also now offer routes through employers and HMOs, so access does not depend entirely on someone paying out of pocket,” Afolayan said.
Business Model, Revenue Streams and Startup Funding
Mytherapist generates revenue through commissions on therapy sessions booked through its platform, paid corporate wellbeing services and Prime, an optional membership that provides additional features and benefits.
Under its booking model, the startup earns a commission from therapy appointments facilitated through its platform, while therapists receive payments according to their arrangements with the company.
Its corporate wellbeing services provide another revenue opportunity by allowing employers to arrange mental health support for their employees.
The platform also works towards enabling access through HMOs, which could help users receive therapy through healthcare arrangements rather than relying exclusively on direct payments.
The startup initially operated through bootstrapping before securing financial support from several organisations.
In 2024, Mytherapist received a US$5,000 grant from 54Collective, alongside approximately US$7,500 in combined grants from Wema Bank Nigeria, ABC Health and FATE Foundation.
Afolayan identified the commencement of paid bookings, introduction of couples therapy, development of corporate wellness services and launch of Prime membership as significant milestones in the company’s growth.
However, the startup has not disclosed its total revenue, profitability or commission rates, making it difficult to determine its current financial performance.
25,000 Users as It Prioritises Growth in Nigeria
Mytherapist has recorded more than 25,000 users, over 4,000 completed paid bookings and more than 120 therapists onboarded, of whom over 90 are active.
The founder, however, cautioned against interpreting these figures as equivalent measures of business performance, explaining that registering on the platform does not necessarily mean someone has paid for or completed therapy.
“Those measures represent different things. Users are not the same as paying clients, and bookings are not the same as completed sessions,” Afolayan said.
He added that the company’s next stage of development would focus on improving how consistently users progress from registering on the platform to receiving professional care and returning when they need additional support.
Although Mytherapist has users accessing its services from abroad, Nigeria remains its principal market. The founder clarified that international usage does not necessarily mean the startup has established local operations in other countries.
“We distinguish that cross-border usage from establishing a local operation in another country,” he said.
The company is prioritising stronger service delivery and distribution in Nigeria while working towards expansion that considers qualified professionals, reliable payment systems and operational efficiency.
“Our priority is to strengthen the care experience and distribution in Nigeria. Any expansion needs suitable professionals, workable payments and dependable delivery, and we’re currently working on expanding properly, while still maintaining low operational costs, with the help of Paystack and the Startbutton Africa team,” Afolayan said.
With its growing user base, therapist network and multiple revenue streams, Mytherapist is positioning itself to expand access to digital mental healthcare in Nigeria.
Its ability to convert registrations into completed therapy sessions, sustain professional service delivery and develop partnerships with employers and healthcare organisations will be central to its next phase of growth.
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