What happens when two Nigerian-born entrepreneurs living abroad try to build a tech product? They end up building a business that solves Nigeria's freelance hiring problems.

In this episode of our monthly podcast ‘Outsourced by Jundaro’, we go beyond the usual founder story. We speak with Blessing and Ifeanyi Anoka, co-founders of Jundaro, a freelance marketplace committed to connecting businesses with verified Nigerian talent.

They share how a travel app idea led them to an unexpected discovery that hiring Nigerian freelancers wasn't just effective, it was transformative.

And so, Jundaro was born.

Below is a breakdown of their conversation, full of insight, lessons learned, and what it really takes to build a business across continents with local impact.

From Port Harcourt to Product Builders¶

Blessing and Ifeanyi Anoka both trace their roots to Port Harcourt, Nigeria. While Ifeanyi spent his early years studying in Nigeria before moving abroad for medical school, Blessing left at a young age as a refugee, growing up in the U.S.

Despite different journeys, both founders share a deep commitment to building back home. "If we were going to create something impactful, it just made sense to start in Nigeria," says Ifeanyi.

The Accidental Path to Jundaro¶

Their initial business idea wasn't Jundaro. It was LuggStash, a travel-based app designed to help tourists temporarily store their luggage while exploring a city.

But execution became a roadblock.

"We worked with developers in the U.S. who didn’t really get the vision," Blessing explains. It wasn’t until they worked with a Nigerian freelancer referred by a family member that the vision started coming to life.

That experience triggered a realization: talented, reliable Nigerian freelancers were everywhere, but finding them was hard. There was no central, trustworthy marketplace.

And so, Jundaro was born.

Building Jundaro With Freelancers¶

"Every person we’ve hired, from developers, designers, content marketers, and social media managers, has been a freelancer from Nigeria," Ifeanyi shares.

It wasn’t just about affordability or proximity. It was about trust, shared vision, and real execution.

Blessing adds, "If we're building for Nigerian freelancers and business owners, we need to include them at every level."

The Realities of Building a Business in Nigeria¶

When asked what it's really like building a business in Nigeria from abroad, the founders don't mince words:

"You have to constantly refine the idea. What works on paper might not work in practice. Feedback from people on the ground is everything," says Blessing.
"You're not building the product for you. You're building it for your users. You have to be willing to let go of your ego," Ifeanyi adds.

Why Jundaro?¶

Imagine a chaotic market in Lagos where everyone claims they’re the best. Now imagine that same market with only verified stores—each one vetted, trusted, and ready to deliver.

That’s Jundaro.

"We created Jundaro to eliminate the guesswork, the fear, and the time wasted trying to find the right freelancer," says Ifeanyi.

Blessing breaks it down further: "When we say client, we don’t mean just big businesses. It could be a small business owner who needs help with social media. Our platform helps everyone find reliable freelance help."

Why Businesses Underestimate Hiring Right¶

The founders believe many startups underestimate hiring because of past disappointments.

"You make a wrong hire, and suddenly you don’t want to trust again," Blessing says. "But when you get it right, it unlocks growth, cost savings, and real flexibility. That’s the power of hiring well."

Conclusion¶

This is just a taste of the conversation. To hear how these founders are navigating growth, working with freelancers, and where Jundaro is going next, listen to the full episode on our Substack podcast: Outsourced by Jundaro.