When high import tariffs and importation costs pushed new car prices out of reach for many Nigerians, a quiet shift began. Lagos’ streets became dominated by older vehicles, with more drivers turning to second-hand imports as their only viable option. That market is now bigger than ever — but so is the cost of keeping these cars running.
For Ochuko Onojakpor, Founder & CEO of RequestMechanic, this was more than a trend; it was a clear problem to solve. “The second-hand car market isn’t the issue,” he says. “It’s the lack of easy access to trustworthy, brand-specific mechanics and the fact that most car problems are caught too late, when they’re already expensive.”
RequestMechanic, launching today, is a mobile platform built to help Nigerian drivers stay ahead of their car troubles. It combines AI-powered diagnostics to detect issues early, a network of verified brand-specific experts, instant consultations, and complete service tracking. In a city where one major repair can derail a household budget, the pitch is simple: catch problems before they catch you.
Why now matters
The timing is no accident. Nigeria’s second-hand car market has ballooned alongside rising living costs and tighter household budgets. According to Onojakpor, Lagos drivers are keeping cars longer and delaying repairs — a combination that makes preventive maintenance critical.
“Preventive care isn’t just about saving money,” he explains. “It’s about reducing the stress that comes with unexpected breakdowns. If you know your car’s health, you can plan your life better.”
How it works
Drivers can download the RequestMechanic app and:
- Get AI-powered vehicle scans to detect issues early.
- Match with verified mechanics who specialise in their car’s brand.
- Book custom service visits with an assigned or preferred expert.
- Consult instantly for emergency or repair advice.
- Track every service with built-in quality checks and a maintenance history log.
- All for 20k naira a month.
This preventive approach is built into the platform’s core. AI scans monitor vehicle health over time, flagging small issues before they escalate into major repairs. For owners of older cars, especially in Lagos’ challenging traffic conditions, that early warning system can be the difference between a quick fix and an engine rebuild.
Building trust in a high-stakes market
In Nigeria’s automotive service space, reputation is everything — and often hard to verify. By matching mechanics only with cars they have a proven track record servicing, and allowing drivers to onboard their own trusted experts into the app, RequestMechanic aims to build a network founded on accountability.
Onojakpor believes this approach bridges the gap between traditional, relationship-based mechanic sourcing and the efficiency of tech-enabled service delivery. “People don’t just want convenience,” he says. “They want to know the person touching their car actually knows what they’re doing — and that someone is holding them to a quality standard.”
The road ahead
RequestMechanic is starting in Lagos, but Onojakpor envisions expansion into other Nigerian cities where second-hand cars dominate. While the app is sector-specific, its underlying problem-solving approach is familiar to any Nigerian consumer: combine local trust with digital convenience, and you unlock adoption.
“It’s not about replacing mechanics,” he says. “It’s about giving them the tools and structure to do their best work, while giving car owners the confidence and foresight they need.”
RequestMechanic is now live in Nigeria and available for download on RequestMechanic.com and the App Store.
For more information, visit requestmechanic.com or follow @RequestMechanic on social media.
