Two years after the Lagos State government banned the operation of motorbike ride-hailing services (Okada), the operators are increasingly finding success in nearby Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State, Southwest Nigeria.
SafeBoda made the move in 2020, launching ride-hailing service in Ibadan, as many other motorbike operators affected by the Lagos ban pivoted to logistics to stay in business.
Joining the trend, Uber on Monday, announced it has launched UberMoto, a two-wheeler alternative and smart mobility option, in Ibadan.
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Tope Akinwumi, Uber country manager, said the current product, UberMoto, will help residents navigate traffic quicker. Uber runs a range of services that include ride-hailing and food delivery, and has been exploring new markets for each of them.
UberMoto is an extension of the firm’s service to provide mobility solutions through trusted motorcycles (Okadas) in cities, and has been launched in other countries before now. It was piloted in Thailand in 2014, where it couldn’t scale due to government policies. But in 2018, UberMoto saw success after it was launched in Uganda, the home country of its rival, SafeBoda, and subsequently expanded to Kenya.
While there will be a huge competition from local operators of okadas in Ibadan market, UberMoto’s security features offer it an edge. UberMoto carries the same door-to-door safety features as any other Uber option such as Injury Protection, 24/7 support, including driver background checks and screenings. Akinwumi said UberMoto is affordable, easy to use and will help Ibadan residents move around the city faster.
“It makes sense for us to launch a product that will help passengers get to their destination quicker, which is where we can leverage our technology, and we are excited to introduce UberMoto to make this a reality.
“Launched as a low-cost alternative option, UberMoto’s minimum fare starts at NGN100 offering riders a 78 percent lower-cost alternative. The service is initially being launched in Ibadan, where Uber began operations in October 2021, with UberX,” he said.
Ibadan has a booming population of 3.6 million people who need mobility daily, offering a huge market for the ride-hailing players which includes Bolt, who launched operation there in 2019.
“As we recover, we know we need to continue to offer solutions that respond to consumers who are looking for smart mobility solutions while providing new revenue streams and earning opportunities for drivers,” Akinwumi said, explaining that the functions are the same on the Uber app with support and security features.
“UberMoto carries the same door-to-door safety features as any other Uber option such as Injury Protection, 24/7 support, including driver background checks and screenings.
“To request a trip on UberMoto, riders need to simply open the app and tap on UberMoto, they can then select cash or card as their payment option. Riders will also be able to see whether others have had a good experience with the UberMoto drivers and will be able to contact each other via the app if there is any confusion around pick-up details,” he said.
UberMoto has added to Uber’s increasing operations that are available in over 54 cities in Sub-Saharan Africa and in over 10 000 cities across 65 countries around the world.