Our story

About Forj — Built for Ambitious Professionals

Nigeria has some of the most ambitious, driven, accomplished professionals on the continent. They deserved a dating platform that understood them — not one built for casual swiping in Silicon Valley.

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2025
Founded in Lagos, Nigeria
3 cities
Lagos · Abuja · Port Harcourt at launch
500+
Professionals in the beta waitlist

"To become the leading global matchmaking platform for ambitious, career-driven individuals — starting with the professionals who built modern Nigeria."

The problem was hiding in plain sight

Nigeria's professionals — engineers, bankers, architects, founders — were using the same apps as everyone else. Apps designed for volume. Apps that knew nothing about your career, your schedule, your values, or your ambition.

The result? Wasted time, mismatched conversations, and a creeping sense that finding the right person was harder than it needed to be. Not because the right people weren't out there — but because the platform to find them didn't exist.

Forj was built to fix that. Professional verification. Compatibility-based matching. A community that actually means something.

60%
of professional chats end without a meaningful conversation due to mismatched goals
50%+
of profiles on mainstream apps are fake, unverified, or misrepresent identity
85%
Forj's target verification rate — the highest in the market
24h
Target time to your first meaningful, compatible match on Forj
What we believe

Our values aren't a wall poster.
They're product decisions.

01
Trust is not optional
Every feature we build starts with the question: does this make the platform safer and more honest? Verification, moderation, and transparency are not afterthoughts — they are the product.
02
Time is the real currency
Our users are busy professionals. Every match, every filter, every icebreaker exists to save them time — and give them more of it with someone who actually matters.
03
Intentionality over volume
We don't optimize for swipes or session time. We optimize for connections that go somewhere. Quality of match is always more important than quantity of engagement.
04
Africa deserves better
Global dating platforms weren't built for African professionals. We are. Nigeria-first pricing, Nigeria-first infrastructure, Nigeria-first community. Built here, for here, to scale everywhere.
05
Compatibility over chemistry
Physical attraction matters — but it doesn't sustain a relationship. We build tools that surface deeper alignment: career values, life goals, communication styles, and long-term intent. Curious how the matching actually works? See how Forj connects professionals →
06
Privacy is a right
We are NDPR and GDPR compliant because it's right, not just because it's required. Your data belongs to you. You can see it, export it, and delete it permanently at any time.
The team

People who've lived the problem

Forj is built by professionals who spent years navigating dating apps that weren't designed for them. Every product decision comes from that lived experience.

👨🏿‍💻
Obaro Samson
CEO & Legal Officer
Chief Executive Officer and Legal Officer at Forj, overseeing company strategy, governance, and legal compliance for Africa's leading professional matchmaking platform.
👩🏾‍🎨
Michael Abu
COO & CMO
Chief Operations Officer and Chief Marketing Officer at Forj, leading operations, growth strategy, and brand development for Africa's professional matchmaking platform.
👨🏾‍🔬
Oriname Akeredolu
Chief Product Officer
Product leader driving the Forj experience from concept to execution. Focused on building an intuitive, safe, and effective platform for professionals seeking meaningful relationships.
Backed by people who believe in the mission
Future Africa Techstars
Angels & Advisors
Lagos Angel Network

Investor information available on request. Press inquiries: press kit →

Ready to meet someone who gets it?

Join professionals across Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt who are already on the Forj waitlist.

Get early access →