As the most populous country in Africa, with the largest economy, Nigeria has massive potential to be an economic powerhouse, not only on the continent but globally as well.

However, recent years have seen the Nigerian economy struggle to rise above the impacts of challenges that have mainly emanated from outside its borders, including the economically devastating Covid-19 pandemic and, more recently, the volatile global economic environment, with steadily rising inflation and interest rates.

ALSO READ: Uber is Offering 50% Discount on Rides to and from PVC Collection Centres

Mobility has a vital role to play in addressing many of these challenges and enabling Nigeria and its people to gain sustainable forward economic momentum.

In addition to the urgent need for more reliable and affordable goods transportation solutions for the fast-growing small- and micro-business sector, people need safe and reliable transport to access the earning opportunities that do become available, not to mention education and healthcare.

The recent stellar growth in the popularity of, and demand for, ride-hailing in many major centres across Nigeria offers compelling evidence of the vital role that reliable and affordable transport offerings play in the sustainable development of the country.

Uber has been at the forefront of this steady e-hailing growth trend since we first entered Nigeria in 2014. While the past eight years have certainly not been without their speed bumps, the steady growth in demand for our services, coupled with the recent entry into the market of several other e-hailing providers, illustrates the significant potential for ride-hailing technology to transform the Nigerian transport landscape for the better – and the economic growth prospects will be bolstered in the process.

A great example of this positive knock-on effect of accessible mobility is the recently launched Uber Go, our most affordable offering to date. It has enabled us to take our value-adding services to all segments of the market, including those that are under-served.

An entirely new rider market is opening for us. Nigerians who previously shied away from ride sharing platforms due to negative cost perceptions are now taking full advantage of the Uber Go service to enjoy affordable, convenient, and stress-free transportation that allows them to access the economic opportunities they need more easily.

Our Uber Connect product offers users access to delivery service at the tap of a button and this has been equally well received, particularly by SMMEs who appreciate having an on-demand small parcel delivery solution that doesn’t force them to significantly inflate their prices due to high courier costs, thereby ensuring that their product offerings are more accessible to larger segments of the population, including price-sensitive consumers.

The valuable role that Uber Connect is playing in underpinning the growth of small businesses in Nigeria is demonstrated by the 85% average quarterly uptake of the service since its inception.

Of course, it’s not just the ‘end-users’ of Uber’s services in Nigeria that benefit; the growing demand for our unique and trusted brand of e-hailing and delivery services is creating an increasing number of income opportunities for drivers.

To support the uptake of these opportunities, we are working to address what has been one of the biggest barriers to entry for new drivers, namely the high cost of vehicle ownership.

Our partnership with Moove Africa gives prospective drivers access to affordable compact vehicles via flexible rental and drive-to-own options. The low weekly repayments on these zero-deposit vehicle access schemes not only enable drivers to earn a steady income but also cover the costs of maintenance and insurance, both of which are cornerstones of a sustainable career as a driver who uses the Uber platform.

As Uber, and the other e-hailing platforms entering African markets, continue to address some of the key mobility and economic earning challenges that still exist in Nigeria in the ways outlined above, we are seeing tangible evidence of the power that our offering has to create a virtuous circle of opportunity that, in turn, leads to general economic upliftment.

And given that Uber currently only operates in 10 of the 36 states in Nigeria, we see immense potential to expand the positive impact of our model and ultimately act as an economic growth catalyst throughout the country in the coming years.

Commenting on the new features, Kagiso Khaole, the General Manager for Uber SSA, adds, “Our aspiration is to move more people and goods to more cities, innovate new features and products, raise the bar on safety, explore categories beyond the food category and grow earnings opportunities.”

Taking the Uber experience into new cities

Uber is announcing its expansion into Owerri and Akure, now making Uber available in 11 cities in Nigeria and 18 cities across West Africa.

These expansions signal more access to earning opportunities for drivers and affordable, convenient, and reliable mobility solutions for riders, at the tap of a button.

New product innovations

To help reduce costs for riders and increase demand for drivers, Uber is launching UberX Saver in Port Harcourt.

UberX Saver provides an avenue for drivers to earn more by raising the chances of trips even during off-peak times, so that they do not need to stop driving during less busy times. 

After a successful roll out of Uber Connect in other markets in Sub-Saharan Africa including Lagos, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Uganda and South Africa, Uber is excited to announce that users in Port Harcourt and Ibadan will soon be able to send parcels and goods from one consumer or small business to another. 

Tope Akinwumi, Country Manager for Uber Nigeria says, “We are committed to Nigeria, which is a key contributor to the growth of our business in Sub-Saharan Africa. We’re passionate about helping people move and discover their city with ease and helping drivers increase earning opportunities.”

Taking a stand on safety

As ridesharing becomes a way of life for more people, Uber never stops raising the bar on safety and has a range of features that take advantage of the latest smartphone technology to ensure that riders and drivers feel safe.

Uber is announcing a collaboration with Sety to provide users with emergency assistance if required on a trip. Drivers and riders will have access to a vetted private security response unit, which is closest to their location, using a connected device. 

Tope adds: “Our commitment to safety goes beyond the app. This is the reason we have partnered with Sety to provide on-demand security and medical responses.  

Based on research, most riders seem to be unaware of the safety features available to them.. As a result, Uber is launching Safety Check-up across SSA which will encourage riders to complete their safety profile by turning on and utilising the available features such as Trusted Contacts, PIN verification and RideCheck.