Vybe, an app that went life in April 2019, has seen user numbers grow by almost a third to roughly 8 000 as movement restrictions push people to seek intimacy online, the company said.

“Coronavirus has been weirdly good for us,” said co-founder Adetolani Eko. “People are becoming more aware of the need to connect through other means,” he said.

‘Feels more personal than before’

Vybe and LagosMatchMaker, the moniker of dating coach Didi Edet, have moved activities online to keep offering premium services that other apps do not.

“People cannot meet for first dates unless they meet at people’s homes and locations which people did not feel was really safe,” said Edet, whose “Dating in Quarantine” program has more than 500 people.

At Vybe, game nights and speed dating sessions are all online now.

That was how Akinnawo met a woman he describes as cool, witty, and smart. They speak four or five nights a week, chatting about swimming, singing, and getting rid of traditional gender roles.

“You are no longer really focused on what the person looks like, but you’re focusing on the answers to the questions that you are hearing from the person,” Akinnawo said. “It feels more personal than before.”