Early 2026
The Core Platform
End-to-end booking marketplace: find a vendor, pick a slot, pay securely, track them live. Built and tested before a single vendor was recruited.
2026
Secure Payments via Paystack
Customer pays upfront. The stylist's share is split directly into their Paystack account at charge time. VARS never holds the full amount. Settlement to their bank is processed once the service is confirmed complete.
2026
Identity Verification for Every Vendor
Every vendor on VARS completes a full identity check before going live. Integrated with Youverify. A clean pass activates them instantly. No verified ID, no profile.
2026
A Platform Built for Trust
The features that make both sides feel safe:
- Phone numbers only shared 30 minutes before the appointment
- Binary cancel model: free before the stylist sets off, locked post-gate; stylist-initiated cancellations are always a full refund
- Dispute system: payment freezes immediately, VARS resolves
- Vendor portfolio photos require customer approval before publishing
May 2026
VARS Pioneers: 50 Vendors, Lagos
The founding cohort. Fifty barbers, hair stylists, and makeup artists recruited personally across Lagos. Pioneers carry a permanent badge and kept 100% of revenue on their first three bookings. The cohort is complete and closed.
June 2026
410 Vendors in the Pipeline
428 professionals registered their interest ahead of launch. The pipeline is built, and onboarding is now active.
Q3 2026
App Store Launch
NowVARS is in iOS App Store and Google Play review. Shipping, not selling: no customer marketing until the supply is ready and both stores are live.
September 2026
Vendor Onboarding
NowConverting the pipeline into active, verified stylists. Every professional goes through identity verification, bank setup, and portfolio review before customers arrive.
1 October 2026
Both Sides Open
Customer-facing marketing activates. For the first time, both sides of the marketplace are live simultaneously: customers book, stylists deliver. VARS is fully open.
Q4 2026
Platform Health Review
A structured audit of booking quality, stylist performance, and platform health, before the year-end push. The goal is to know exactly what's working before scaling it.
November to December 2026
Year-End
Lagos at its best. VARS positioned and ready.
End 2026
1,000 Completed Bookings
The Year 1 milestone. Not installs. Not sign-ups. Completed sessions: paid out, rated, done. One thousand.
2027
VARS Points
Every booking earns points. Customers earn from what they spend. Vendors earn from what they deliver. More on what they unlock: coming.