Finding a plumber, electrician or carpenter you can trust in Nigeria usually means asking around, calling someone’s cousin or scrolling WhatsApp statuses, then hoping they turn up and do the job right. Squegy, a startup based in Port Harcourt, has launched an app that aims to make that process more reliable, with escrow payments so your money isn’t released until the job is done..
Here’s how it works, what we could verify, and what the company hasn’t told us yet.
What Squegy is
Squegy is an online marketplace that connects customers with artisans for home and business jobs. According to Squegy’s website and its announcement, services include:
- Plumbing and electrical work
- Carpentry, painting and roofing
- Cleaning and appliance repairs
- Tailoring, welding and car repairs
The company was founded in 2024 by Samuel Bomate Amakiri, a full-stack software engineer. TechBlit’s founder directory lists it as bootstrapped (no outside funding) and at the MVP (early product) stage. Its operations address is in Elelenwo, Port Harcourt, and it’s also registered as a US company (Squegy LLC, Delaware).
How it works
For customers
- Post a job: describe what you need, add photos and set a budget.
- Get bids: artisans nearby respond with their offers.
- Choose and agree: chat in the app, agree on price and timeline.
- Pay into escrow: your money is held by Squegy, not paid straight to the artisan.
- Approve the job: funds are released only after you confirm the work is done.
For artisans
A separate Squegy Artisan app lets tradespeople set up a profile, see real job requests, bid, chat with clients and withdraw earnings to their bank account.
Where to get it
- Customer app: Google Play and App Store
- Artisan app: Google Play
Why escrow matters
The biggest fear when hiring an artisan in Nigeria isn’t the price. It’s paying upfront for materials and then the artisan disappearing, or doing half the job. Escrow addresses that directly: the artisan knows the money is there, and you know it won’t be released until you’re satisfied.
It protects artisans too. A plumber who finishes a job can point to money already committed, instead of chasing a customer for days.
What’s still unclear
Squegy is very new. Its customer app had just over 50 downloads on Google Play when we checked on 27 September 2026. Several important details aren’t on its website yet:
- How artisans are vetted. Squegy says every artisan is “vetted for quality, trust, and safety” and mentions identity verification, but doesn’t explain the checks. Is it NIN (National Identity Number) verification, guarantors, skills tests or reviews?
- Fees. There’s no published commission for customers or artisans.
- Disputes. It isn’t clear what happens if you and the artisan disagree about whether the job was done properly, or who decides.
- Coverage. The company is based in Port Harcourt, but it hasn’t said which cities have artisans available.
Squegy also joins other Nigerian platforms trying to solve the same problem, including Artisan Naija and CraftRanked. With so few downloads so far, whether there are enough artisans near you is the key question.
Tips for hiring an artisan safely, with or without an app
- Never pay the full amount upfront. Use escrow, or pay for materials first and labour on completion.
- Ask for photos of past work, and call at least one previous customer.
- Buy materials yourself when possible, or ask for receipts.
- Agree the price and scope in writing, even in a WhatsApp message.
- Inspect the work before final payment. Check taps for leaks, switches, finishing and so on.
Sources
- Squegy website and app listings: squegy.com; Google Play, checked 27 September 2026
- Launch announcement: Techpoint Brand Press
- Founder and company background: TechBlit; TechCabal (partner article)
