Ride-Hailing Services in Nigeria: Uber Bolt, and Alternatives

What is a ride-hailing company? By definition, a ride hailing service is one that connect passengers to cab/taxi drivers. Through a mobile app, the passenger is able to determine their destination, see their route and estimated fare, and then order a ride. The app connects them to an available driver and cab, which then come to pick them up to their destination.

Ride-hailing apps provide passengers with the convenience of a driver and car for door-to-door transportation, at affordable cost. Most of the ride Hailing services in Nigeria start out operations first in Lagos and/or Abuja. Some have expanded to other cities, including Abeokuta, Ibadan, Osogbo, Benin City, Port Harcourt, Calabar, and others.

List of Ride-hailing apps in Nigeria

• Uber. Uber was the first ride Hailing service to launch in Nigeria (2014). It is available in five Nigerian states, namely: Lagos, Abuja FCT, Oyo, Rivers, and Edo
• Bolt. Previously called Taxify, this service was launched in Nigeria in 2017 and has since become very popular, thanks in part to affordable trip fares.
• PalmDrive. Launched in 2016, with headquarters in Port Harcourt, PalmDrive also has operations in Enugu.
• GidiCab. Was launched in 2019 and provides servi es in Lagos.
• Rida Nigeria. Rida is unique in that it let’s the passenger fix a fare for their ride. Inter-city travellers can also use the app to connect to drivers and cabs for their trips.
• InDriver. Like Rida, InDriver lets users fix and negotiate fares with individual drivers. It started operations in Nigeria in 2019.
• Soole Rides. This is an inter-city service launched in 2019. Soole Rides connects travellers and has operations in Ibadan, Lagos, Abeokuta, and Osogbo.
• Lagos Ride. This ride-hailing service is an initiative of the Lagos State government. It is run on a scheme that allows operators to become owners of the SUVs and saloon cars they operate in four years.
• LoadMoto: this service accommodates a range of vehicles for delivery service; these include motorbikes, cars, buses, tri-cycle (Keke Marwa); mini buses, and vans. LoadMoto was launched in 2022.

Making Payments for ride-hailing services

While all the e-hailing services have electronic payment options built into their apps, the preferred payment option in Nigeria has been cash. Passengers prefer to hand over cash to the drivers or do a direct transfer to the drivers’ bank accounts, than use their debit/credit cards for payments via the apps.

Author: InfoDesk

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