The rise of ride-hailing apps marks a transformative era in transportation. By leveraging technology to offer convenient, efficient, and flexible transportation solutions, these apps have redefined how we move within cities.
In Lagos, for instance, boarding a taxi has taken a whole new turn, from the transition of reliance on the local yellow-painted taxis to private vehicles where the driver could be operating on one or more apps.
Ride-hailing involves linking riders and drivers in the same city, through a mobile app, in order to provide convenience, safety and affordable transport fares.
Aside from well-known brands like Bolt and Uber, there are other ride-hailing firms in Nigeria that provide an alternative to the public transportation system reputed to be inconvenient and chaotic. Some of those listed below also offer delivery services in various forms.
Uber
Uber is a technology company that is providing services in over 140 cities across 40 different countries. It was launched in 2014 in Nigeria.
It features a mobile app with a set charge for each journey you request.
Uber is available in five Nigerian states: Lagos, Abuja, Ibadan, Port Harcourt, and Benin City, Edo.
Uber has also expanded into the Lagos waterways market with UberBOAT, a boat taxi service developed in collaboration with Texas Connection Ferries, a Lagos-based ferry service, and the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA).
Bolt
It has been in Nigeria since 2016. With a presence in 22 states; Lagos, Abuja, Zaria, Owerri, Uyo, Calabar, Kano, Abeokuta, Enugu, Ibadan, Benin, Warri, Ado Ekiti, Bauchi, Ilorin, Makurdi, Aba, Akure, Asaba, Jos, Kaduna, and Onitsha.
It also has a set charge for each journey requested.
InDriver
A Russian ride-hailing startup with a presence in 200 locations across 25 countries, moved into Nigeria in 2019.
On the inDriver app, passengers may choose which driver they wish to drive them, allowing them to negotiate trip rates with drivers.
Read also: How transport sector stimulate Nigeria’s economy
Rida Nigeria
Rida is a ride-hailing service with operations in Benin, Lagos, Uyo, and Abuja. Unlike Uber or Bolt, the Rida app assists drivers in setting their prices, as well as passengers and drivers in negotiating a mutually acceptable ride fee in advance.
SafeBoda
In 2019, SafeBoda entered the Nigerian market, with Ibadan as its operations base. They only offer bike-hailing services.
Shuttlers
Shuttlers, unlike other taxi services, is a bus-sharing service. Shuttlers began operations seven years ago, with the introduction of a bus stop-to-bus-stop service with pre-determined pickup times and routes. By allowing employees to share rides on corporate buses.
Shuttlers also target a wider range of businesses by operating on a solely B2C plan.
Shuttlers’ B2B2C plan includes a plan where corporations share payment of transportation fares with their employees however they see fit; another plan where firms pay their employees’ entire fares; and a plan where individual consumers pay their own fares.
Lagos Ride
Lagos Ride is a ride-hailing service in Lagos that was launched by the Lagos state government in March. LagosRide allows users to book a ride and split the cost with other commuters on the same route. It also has space for daily recurring trips to be scheduled.
Max.ng is another ride-hailing firm whose goal is to provide infrastructure and services to taxi drivers across Africa by utilizing high-performance Electric Vehicles to provide environmentally-friendly mobility.
Max.ng was established in 2015 and presently operates in Lagos, Ibadan, Akure, and Kano, as well as providing delivery services to businesses and people.
Pickmeup
Pickmeup is an online tech company aimed at improving the transport sector and other services of life
