Damilola Olokesusi is a Nigerian entrepreneur and the co-founder and CEO of Shuttlers, a technology-driven transportation company that provides scheduled shared rides for individuals and businesses. Through Shuttlers, she has built a business focused on improving urban mobility by making daily commuting more organised and convenient. Her work in the transportation and technology sector has positioned her as one of the Nigerian entrepreneurs contributing to the growth of innovative solutions to everyday challenges.
Where It All Began For Damilola Olokesusi
Damilola Olokesusi was born in Lagos, Nigeria, and grew up in Ibadan, Oyo State. She was raised in a family where both her parents worked at the National Electric Power Authority (NEPA), now known as the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN). Growing up, she saw professional employment as the conventional path to building a successful career.
Olokesusi developed an interest in mathematics and chemistry during her school years. Her ability in these subjects influenced her decision to study Chemical Engineering at the University of Lagos, with the intention of pursuing a career in the oil and gas industry.
However, her university years exposed her to perspectives beyond the career path she had initially envisioned. Although she pursued an engineering degree, her interests gradually extended beyond the traditional engineering profession.
How Damilola Olokesusi Founded Shuttlers
Damilola Olokesusi’s journey into entrepreneurship was shaped by her desire to address the challenges associated with commuting in Lagos. Having experienced different transportation systems, she began to recognise the need for a more organised and reliable way for people to travel to work.
However, the issue became more personal when her sister was robbed after boarding a commercial bus operated by criminals posing as legitimate transport providers. In Nigeria, such vehicles are commonly known as one-chance buses. The incident exposed the safety risks commuters could face and strengthened Olokesusi’s interest in finding a better transportation alternative.
Her experiences working in different organisations also influenced her thinking. At one workplace, she had access to a staff bus that transported employees between home and work. At another, she relied on public transportation. The contrast made her consider how organised staff transportation could be made accessible to more people, including employees whose companies could not afford to operate their own buses.
In 2015, Olokesusi began testing the idea with a small group of commuters and a business willing to pay for the service. The initial model involved leasing vehicles and arranging pickups close to passengers’ homes. However, the approach proved difficult to sustain financially, forcing the team to reconsider how the service would operate.
A turning point came in 2016 when Shuttlers won the Best Idea award at Aso Villa Demo Day, a startup competition organised by the Office of the Vice President of Nigeria. The company received ₦3 million in prize money, which helped support its early development.
Shuttlers subsequently adopted a more structured model, using designated bus stops, scheduled departure times and defined routes. Rather than focusing only on individual commuters, the team also approached organisations whose employees needed reliable transportation.
In its early days, the company operated without a dedicated mobile application. Bookings and customer communication were handled through tools such as WhatsApp, email and Slack. Andela, a technology company, became one of its first corporate clients, helping demonstrate the potential of the service.
Despite the financial and operational challenges of starting a business, Olokesusi continued developing the model and working to establish Shuttlers as an alternative for people seeking a more organised daily commute.
The Growth and Expansion of Shuttlers
As Shuttlers developed, Damilola Olokesusi and her team continued to improve the service and expand its reach. In 2019, the company introduced a mobile application that allowed commuters to book seats on buses operating along scheduled routes, making the booking process more convenient.
The business also attracted investors who supported its expansion. In 2021, Shuttlers raised $1.6 million in seed funding, followed by another $4 million in 2023. The funding helped the company strengthen its technology, expand its operations and reach more commuters.
By April 2023, Shuttlers reported operating nearly 260 buses across approximately 300 routes in Lagos and Abuja. It also served more than 80 corporate clients, including Interswitch, MainOne and Paga, providing transportation services for employees who needed a more organised way to commute.
Beyond its regular transportation services, Shuttlers introduced SheMoves, an initiative designed to support women’s development. The programme provided an all-female shuttle service and created opportunities for women to take courses and develop skills during their commutes. With support from Ford Motor Company, the initiative explored how travel time could become an opportunity for learning and personal development.
Shuttlers’ growth was also reflected in its passenger numbers. In its 2024 review, the company reported completing more than 7.6 million trips since it began operations, including approximately 1.6 million trips during 2024 alone.
Through these developments, Shuttlers continued to build its presence in Nigeria’s shared-mobility sector, combining transportation services with initiatives aimed at making commuting more useful and accessible.
Damilola Olokesusi’s Achievements and Recognition
Damilola Olokesusi’s work in entrepreneurship and transportation has earned her recognition both in Nigeria and internationally. Her achievements reflect her efforts to use technology to address everyday transportation challenges and build a business with a wider social impact.
In 2019, Olokesusi was named among Forbes Africa’s 30 Under 30 honourees in the technology category. The recognition highlighted her work as the co-founder and CEO of Shuttlers, which was developing technology-driven solutions to make commuting more convenient and affordable.
In 2022, she was included in the Project Management Institute’s Future 50 list. The initiative recognises emerging leaders whose work is making a difference around the world. Olokesusi was recognised for her role in developing Shuttlers and its approach to making urban transportation safer, more affordable and environmentally conscious.
That same year, she was also recognised among the Most Influential Women in Mobility, reflecting her growing presence in the transportation industry. Her work has placed her among women contributing to innovation and change in a sector that plays an important role in everyday life.
In January 2024, Olokesusi received recognition at the Legit Business Names Awards for her contributions to Nigeria’s mobility industry. The award acknowledged her work in developing Shuttlers and improving transportation options for individuals and organisations.
Through these achievements, Olokesusi has established herself as a Nigerian entrepreneur working at the intersection of technology, transportation and social impact. Her journey also highlights how identifying a problem and developing a practical solution can create opportunities for business growth and wider change.
Damilola Olokesusi’s Legacy and Impact
Damilola Olokesusi’s journey with Shuttlers highlights how everyday challenges can inspire solutions that make a difference in people’s lives. By focusing on the difficulties workers face when commuting, she has helped create an alternative that gives individuals and organisations access to more organised transportation.
Her work also reflects the role technology can play in addressing problems within Nigeria’s cities. Through scheduled routes, advance bookings and shared rides, Shuttlers offers commuters another option for getting to work while supporting efforts to reduce the number of private cars on the road and lower transport-related emissions. The company’s approach aligns with the broader goal of making urban communities more sustainable.
Olokesusi’s journey is also significant for women in entrepreneurship. Building a technology-driven transportation business in a competitive industry has placed her among Nigerian women demonstrating that leadership and innovation are not limited to any particular field. Her support for women’s development through initiatives such as She-Moves further reflects her interest in creating opportunities beyond her core business.
As Shuttlers continues to develop, Olokesusi’s story stands as an example of how identifying a problem, testing an idea and remaining committed to improving it can lead to meaningful change. Her contribution lies not only in building a company but also in showing how entrepreneurship can respond to everyday needs and help shape the future of transportation in Nigeria.
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