Ibadan, Nigeria - After the initial expansion of its ride-hailing services to two new cities in Nigeria, namely, Port-Harcourt and Ibadan, the renowned smart mobility company has chosen Ibadan to commence its bike-hailing service options, UberMoto. The company recognizes that in Nigeria, Ibadan is the largest city by size in West Africa, and the third-largest city in the country, population-wise, with a massive population of over 3.65 million people, with 6 million people within its metropolitan area.
The company had earlier announced its intentions to go green in Africa through the provision of over 3,000 electric motorcycles, supplied by Opibus. These bikes are to be specifically tailored to match the road structures and environmental conditions of the regions where they would be deployed in Africa. They would have a dual battery pack for extended range, and the ability to swap out batteries and extend its lifecycle therein.
The choice to launch in Ibadan, as against Lagos, is also informed by the stringent policies that govern ‘okada’ riding in Lagos as against other parts of the country. Uber joins Bolt, formerly Taxify, which also launched its bike-hailing service in Ibadan in July of last year. In an announcement, the Country Manager for Uber, Tope Akinwumi restated the company’s commitment to offering smart and timely services to its customers, as well as opportunities to its drivers for growth.
With this strategic move by Uber, customers would be offered a minimum fare starting at N100 at a 78% lower-cost alternative. The features remain the same on the app for this new service, guaranteeing delivery at designated locations.
