Uber, a popular ride-hailing company, has released more safety features for its riders and drivers in Lagos, Nigeria, TechEconomy can report.
The safety features codenamed ‘emergency button’ and ‘audio recording’, are meant to improve safety on Uber app.
This is the first time Uber is introducing these safety features in Nigeria.
Uber unveiled the features today in partnership with Sety, a Nigeria-based technology company providing emergency management services.
According to Kagiso Khaole, General Manager of Uber in Sub-Saharan Africa, since 2016 it launched services Nigeria, Uber has promoted safety of riders and the drivers.
In his words: “Since 2016, we have looked at this market with great potentials. Lagos has a special place for us. We look at the energy, a number of unicorns coming out from this ecosystem. We wanted them to leverage our platforms. So, safety is something we hold dear.
“Uber emergency button feature on its app is another measure to ensure both the rider and the driver are taken care of in case of emergency”.
Tope Akinwumi, Country Manager, Uber (Nigeria), carried out a demonstration of how the Uber Emergency Button and Audio Recording work as safety features on the app:
Tope said:
“Whenever you travel with Uber, you’ll have access to an in-trip emergency button that, among others, connects you to emergency services.
Here’s where to find Uber Emergency Button:
- Click on the blue safety shield;
- Next, tap Emergency Assistance – marked with a red alarm;
- You’ll be immediately connected to the emergency services. You’ll also be provided with your GPS location, car make and model, and license plate.
- Once you are connected to the emergency dispatch agent, you can share your exact location and precise vehicle details.
The country manager said the emergency button is there to assist Uber app users 24/7 if they ever encounter an incident.
Lanre Mojola, the Director-General, Lagos Safety Commission, reminded the public who use ride-hailing services that safety involves everyone in the value-chain.
“The rise hailing-service industry is massive. It’s billions and billions of dollars industry and Nigeria being one of the most populous countries in the world has benefited tremendously from this disruption that we saw a couple of years ago. Disruption that has now become a part of our lives. I wonder how we used to move around before these in transport disruption companies and the likes of Uber and which Uber set the scene for.
So, I’d like to commend Uber for setting the pace. And it’s interesting that they continue to work with riders in terms of security, safety and convenience. When you look at Lagos as a market; over 24 million people in the smallest land size in the country, highly cosmopolitan very diverse in terms of tribes. And in terms of our road network and infrastructure, 2.5 million people roughly move around Lagos on a daily basis.
Lagos again, has roughly 40% of the total registered numbers of vehicles in the country of about 1.5 million vehicles. So, it’s extensive. It’s huge when you think about the numbers of people that are moving back and forth in Lagos on a daily basis, particularly on the roads…
“So, I’d like to commend Uber for this GPS tracking for the emergency button and the audio recording that was mentioned earlier. These are initiatives that we identify with and also commend the technical partner for coming up with this beautiful and brilliant idea.
“And we hope that we can continue to just upgrade the levels of services. In Lagos State, safety is first. We are always thinking about what we can do to get better, how we can keep our people safe. And we encourage more of these innovations. Thank you very much”.
Also speaking, Nnamdi Melie, the Co-founder / CEO of Sety Inc., Uber’s partners on the project, said that as a technology company, the safety features are built to provide access to Emergency Response services to Nigerians who user Uber ride services.
Identifying the challenges, he said that in Nigeria and most of Africa “if you are in danger or have suffered an accident you have nobody, except your spouse, parent or a well-to-do person in the society, to call for help or assistance.
“Less than 100k Nigerians have access to reliable emergency assistance. The formal social infrastructure driven by Public Sector rarely exists. Therefore, Sety solves that problem and uses the tools to scale.
“Our ambition is to make this accessible to every Uber user in Nigeria.
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