A new technology platform, StayAssist, is aiming to address concerns over trust and reliability in Nigeria’s burgeoning short-stay accommodation market. The company, founded in 2025, is building a digital marketplace that integrates lodging with mobility services and local experiences, with plans to expand across Nigeria and into other African countries.
StayAssist connects travelers, professionals, and commuters with hosts who have undergone a verification process. The platform focuses on streamlining the process of discovering, booking, and navigating urban areas, according to company officials. A core tenet of the business model is building user confidence through identity verification and consistent service quality.
“The initiative was conceived to address trust deficits associated with online short-stay listings in several cities across the continent,” said Lengkat Gerlong, Business Development and Partnership Lead at StayAssist. He explained that uncertainty surrounding safety, reliability, and service standards has hindered the growth of digital accommodation platforms. “Our goal is to eliminate those concerns through a system built on verification and accountability,” Gerlong stated.
The company’s framework is built on three key pillars: host verification, user accessibility, and a rewards-based engagement system. StayAssist intends to enhance these pillars through the introduction of loyalty programs and gamified features as part of its 2026 expansion strategy. Beyond simply facilitating bookings, the platform seeks to foster a trusted ecosystem where hosts are incentivized to maintain high service standards and users can expect consistent experiences.
Recent milestones for StayAssist include expansion into additional Nigerian cities, an increase in the number of verified hosts utilizing the platform, and growing media coverage, including reports in Techpoint Africa and Businessday NG. The company has also begun implementing loyalty features designed to encourage repeat bookings.
StayAssist’s immediate priorities include strengthening its verification processes, expanding access to users in underserved urban areas, and entering new African markets. The company believes that establishing trust will be the determining factor for market leadership in the rapidly evolving short-stay and mobility sector across the continent.
According to Techpoint Africa, StayAssist is positioning itself as a solution to market fragmentation in Nigeria’s short-let sector. The platform aims to provide a more reliable and secure alternative to existing options for both hosts and guests.
