In this interview, Lagos-based product designer Ebuka Ogbonna recounts his unlikely journey from a Mass Communications graduate to the co-founder of a revolutionary real-time bus-tracking system and innovator with Quickteller Homes. He shares how resource constraints at home shaped his user-first philosophy, how working on multiple projects has helped improve his approach to design and the societal benefits of user interface (UI) design.

Can you share your personal journey into product design and what inspired you to pursue a career in it?
At university, I studied Mass Communications, and after I graduated, it was quite difficult to find a job in Nigeria as a Mass Communications graduate. Then, in 2020, at the peak of the COVID-19 lockdown era, I met someone who introduced me to Product Design. I started learning by taking free courses on Udemy and also watching a lot of YouTube videos to enhance my skills as a designer, especially since I did not know a single thing about design. The more I learned what product design was about, the more I knew exactly what I wanted to do in the future, seeing as Mass Communications was not helping me secure employment. So, I will say what inspired me to pursue a career in product design was that I did not want to be broke and unemployed, and in the last four years, I have not regretted my decision.

How did your early experiences in Nigeria influence your approach to product design and technology?

Growing up in Nigeria gave me a unique lens through which I view product design and technology. I was exposed early on to environments where resources were limited, and users often found creative ways to solve problems with what they had. That experience taught me to design with empathy, prioritise simplicity, and always consider accessibility. I tend to approach products from a user-first perspective, asking how a product can solve a real-world problem. It also made me appreciate the value of inclusive design: creating solutions that are not just functional, but also adaptable to a wide range of users across different cultural backgrounds. So, whether I am building for a global audience or a niche market, I am always thinking about how to make the experience as intuitive and impactful as possible.

What was the catalyst for you and your team to develop your groundbreaking bus tracking system, and how do you think it can improve the transportation sector?
Our bus tracker solution was inspired by the frustration of commuting to work using public transport, waiting endlessly for buses, only to miss them and with no clear information on when the next one would arrive, whether any were operating on the route, or how long the journey would take. This bus tracker can significantly improve the transportation sector in Nigeria because the innovation utilises GPS and GNS technology to track the exact position of buses, delivering real-time updates to passengers through a mobile application that I designed.

Besides the bus tracking solution, what other exciting projects are you working on that we should be looking out for?
I designed a platform named Quickteller Homes. It is a one-stop housing and payments platform that connects tenants seeking shortlet apartments, shared and private properties for rent or purchase, with landlords and agents offering properties for let or sale, while providing all users (tenants, landlords, and agents) with transparent market information, financing, utility connections, payments, insurance, and a full suite of home services.

Transitioning from transportation to housing must be interesting. Has there been any difference to your creative process?
Indeed, it is a completely different ball game. One major difference in the creative process is understanding that I was designing for a completely different audience in the real estate sector. Now I am designing for people who look for aesthetics, which means that I must include high-quality images of various apartment spaces to give users a clear view of what they intend to rent or purchase. In contrast, transportation users primarily seek availability and tracking functionality, rather than visual appeal. Again, this boils down to how well I know the users I am designing for.

Nigeria has a huge housing deficit. How can Quickteller Homes help reduce this deficit in the mid to long term?

Given the rising cost of living, limited housing supply, and strict rental requirements, many individuals and families find it increasingly difficult to secure affordable housing, and that is where Quickteller Homes comes in. We introduced flexible payment plans, such as instalment-based options and rent-to-own schemes, to make home ownership and property rental more accessible to Nigerians without the burden of high upfront costs.

How has working on projects as diverse as the bus tracking system and Quickteller Homes impacted your approach to design?

Working on the bus tracker solution and Quickteller Homes has had a significant impact on my design approach because I have come to understand that solutions that work for one group of users may not be effective for another. I had to carry out both primary and secondary research to ensure I was designing for the correct audience and addressing problems they experience almost every day. I was not just designing for the sake of it; instead, I studied local and international apps to identify deficiencies and integrate the appropriate solutions into my designs.

In your opinion, how can effective UI design contribute to resolving key societal challenges?

Effective UI design has the power to break down barriers, whether they are related to transportation, education, healthcare, or the real estate sector. At its core, UI design is about creating intuitive, inclusive, and accessible pathways for people to interact with technology. When done right, it can simplify complex problems, empower underserved communities, and drive behaviour change at scale. So, to me, UI design is not just about aesthetics or usability; it is a tool for equity, inclusion, and impact. The more thoughtfully we design, the more we can help solve some of the biggest challenges that society faces today.