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Cars45, Kia Unlock Fresh Opportunities in Nigeria’s Auto Sector
**Trade Over 300 Vehicles
Riding on its partnership with KIA Motors, Nigeria’s leading online marketplace to buy, sell or swap a car, Cars45 has carried out over 300 transactions on KIA vehicles since the partnership was announced in January 2018.
This disclosure was made in Lagos where both companies announced that they were expanding the partnership to accommodate more car brands which enables consumers to have more choices when they want to buy, sell or swap their cars through Cars45 at any KIA location across the country.
Speaking Chief Financial Officer, Cars45, Jide Adamolekun noted that the partnership has improved car ownership in Nigeria. “We launched this partnership January last year and at the end of the year, we reassessed how far we have gone and examined the opportunities that we have created in the Nigerian market. Cars 45 carried out over 300 transactions via this relationship last year and we have seen the future where by making more brands available to consumers we will help unlock more value in the nation’s automotive space”, Adamolekun said.
He added that “we are proud that we have enabled consumers on their journey irrespective of whatever side of the economic spectrum they fall. We hope to move with KIA beyond our current operations in Lagos, Port Harcourt and Abuja to new cities and territories across the country making cars affordable to the Nigerian populace.”
On the value of the partnership, Olawale Jimoh, Marketing Manager, KIA averred that it has been a very wonderful and rewarding experience which has seen both parties record so many gains. We have seen the sale of used KIA cars rise as Cars45’s structured arrangement of buying and selling used cars has brought transparency and credibility, taking away the associated stress with selling locally used vehicles,” Jimoh stated.
Furthermore, he said, “it is against the backdrop of the successes recorded that we are now expanding this relationship to a more robust arrangement such that regardless of the car brand that you are driving, you can experience the rich range of value offerings provided by Cars45.”
Vice President, Trading, Cars45, Mohammed Iyamu expressed his happiness that the progress made on this journey has been impressive by all standards. “We did about three hundred cars last year, we are looking to triple that volume, go to other cities and grow in leaps and bounds this year. A missing link in Nigeria’s automotive industry is financing. If you look at a market like say South Africa, 70 percent of the cars on the road are financed one way or another. Cars45’s trade-in/ swap scheme has served as a means of financing for many and so we would be looking at adding more value to this partnership end to end.
On next steps, Iyamu said that, “we are looking to provide new services to our customers that include repairs and workshop services, we are also looking to partner with other service providers in the automobile industry especially those who deal in accessories and also partner with financial institutions to provide financing for certified Cars45 car purchases.”
The event also provided an opportunity for Cars45 to showcase the achievements of its sister brand, Carsbazr which provides a stress-free experience for Nigerians to buy verified locally used cars that they can trust at the best prices.
According to John Egwu, Head of Operations, Carsbazr, “affordability is at the heart of what we do. Whatever car you are looking to buy at your individual price point, we’ve got you covered. All our cars have a standard report and there are no hidden details about any cars. Our weekly live auctions, which have become a game changer within the automobile community in Nigeria, also provide a great opportunity where people are able to go home with vehicles that they can afford in a convivial and fun environment.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
Mobility fintech, Moove, has raised $250 million in a Series C round, valuing the company at $2.1 billion, finally attaining a long-pursued unicorn status.
The round was led by Mubadala Investment Company and co-led by Woven Capital, Toyota’s growth fund, and Ion Pacific. New backers BlueCrest Capital Management, Sona Asset Management and The Raptor Group also joined, alongside existing investors BlackRock, MUFG, Franklin Templeton, Uber and others.
The funding will help Moove expand its autonomous vehicle business by investing in fleet ownership and its robotics-powered depots, known as “Nests,” where autonomous vehicles are charged, maintained, serviced and managed for continuous operation.
Through its partnership with Waymo, Moove is already a leading third-party autonomous fleet operator, with operations live in Phoenix and Miami, and future operations in London.
The capital will also support the company’s expansion into new global markets. As part of the growth plan, Moove expects to increase its autonomous vehicle workforce by more than 220 per cent by the end of the year, growing from about 150 employees to around 500.
Moove said scaling autonomous mobility requires more than just self-driving vehicles. It also needs investment in fleets, charging infrastructure, maintenance facilities and operational systems. The company is building this supporting infrastructure to make autonomous transport reliable and scalable across cities.
Moove started in Africa in 2020 by financing cars for drivers working on ride-hailing platforms. It later entered the UAE, India, the US and the UK. The company also works with Uber, which joined a $100 million funding round in 2024 that valued Moove at $750 million. The new valuation is 2.8 times that level.
Speaking on the deal, the co-chief executive and Advisory Board Chairman of Moove, Mr Ladi Delano, said, “Every major technology revolution becomes an infrastructure race. The internet required data centres. AI required compute. Autonomy requires fleets, charging, maintenance, data systems and 24/7 operations in every city – and that is what Moove is building. In our view, as autonomy scales, infrastructure ownership and operations will define the category leaders. We are building to be one of them.”
On his part, Mr Ali Eid AlMheiri, Executive Director of Diversified Assets, UAE Investments Platform at Mubadala, said: “As autonomous mobility moves from innovation to scaled deployment, the infrastructure supporting it becomes increasingly important. Moove is building an integrated operating platform that combines fleet ownership, operational capability, and technology to support the next phase of growth in autonomous mobility. This is particularly important for the UAE.”
Adding her input, Ms Betty Lee, Principal at Woven Capital (Toyota’s Growth Fund), said, “Moove has demonstrated an exceptional ability to execute across markets, building a global platform across traditional and autonomous vehicle fleets. The next wave of mobility is an infrastructure problem as much as a software one, and Moove is building the foundational layer to solve it.”
For Mr Michael Joseph, co-CEO & Co-Founder of Ion Pacific Limited, said: “We’ve partnered with the Moove team for more than five years, and their execution has consistently impressed us. As autonomous mobility moves from possibility to reality, Moove is building a critical infrastructure layer for the sector – one that is complex, adaptive and essential to scaling AVs. We’re excited to be part of that journey.”
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The corporate mobility solution from Bolt, Bolt Business, has expressed its desire to strengthen relationships with existing customers in Nigeria by introducing solutions tailored to industries with frequent employee mobility needs, including healthcare, financial services, legal services and logistics.
This is as the organisation, over the past 12 months, delivered double-digit growth in the country, driven by expanding adoption across multiple industries, growing demand from small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and an increasing number of firms seeking cost-efficient alternatives to managing in-house transport fleets.
The Country Manager for Bolt for Business Nigeria, Mr Isaac Iroko, disclosed that the smarter mobility solutions being planned will improve visibility, simplify expense management and support business growth.
“Our focus remains on building products that create value for organisations of every size while delivering a seamless experience for their employees,” he stated.
Bolt Business has continued to experience an increasing demand from businesses seeking smarter, more efficient ways to manage employee transportation and business travel.
It serves organisations across a broad range of industries, including financial services, technology, healthcare, professional services, manufacturing, logistics, media, real estate and fast-growing consumer businesses.
The growth reflects a broader shift in how Nigerian businesses approach corporate mobility. Rather than maintaining expensive vehicle fleets or relying on fragmented transport arrangements, more organisations are adopting digital mobility platforms that offer greater transparency, control and operational efficiency.
“Businesses today are looking beyond transportation; they’re looking for smarter ways to optimise operations and manage costs.
“We’ve seen organisations across different sectors embrace Bolt Business because it gives them a simple, reliable and transparent way to manage employee travel, whether it’s daily commutes, client meetings or business trips.
“This growth demonstrates that corporate mobility is becoming an increasingly important part of business efficiency in Nigeria,” Mr Iroko stated.
Unlike traditional fleet management, Bolt Business enables companies to centralise transportation through a single platform, providing features such as centralised billing, trip reporting, spending controls and real-time visibility into employee travel. These capabilities help businesses improve oversight while reducing the administrative burden associated with corporate transportation.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
To boost economic activities in Lagos Island and support residents, the chief executive of the Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority, Mr Bashir Are, sponsored the training of eight persons at the LagRide Drivers Academy through the LagRide Partner Programme.
Mr Are funded both the academy training and the vehicle costs, removing the two barriers that most frequently prevent qualified drivers from entering formal, structured employment in the mobility sector.
The beneficiaries were handed over keys to their vehicles at a ceremony in Lagos on Tuesday, July 21, 2026.
They now operate a LagRide vehicle under the platform’s Drive To Own programme, which allows a Captain to earn daily income while working towards full ownership of the vehicle at the end of the agreed payment term.
“The initial capital required to be onboarded was never going to come from these young men, so we provided that intervention financially so that they can have good employment.
“Lagos is a megacity. My agency runs the largest gaming and fintech conference on the continent every year, and when those delegates arrive, we do not want them driven around in poor vehicles. This is also employment for our own people, and we have a great deal of unemployment and underemployment in this country.
“These Captains are from Lagos Island Local Government, and they can now take care of their own families. Let me be clear about one thing. This is not a project. It is a programme, and it continues,” Mr Are stated.
Also speaking, the chairman of LagRide, Ms Diana Chen, said, “Today is just a new beginning, and more and more people will come. More local governments will join us, and one day we want to bring the Governor here so that this programme runs across the state.
“LagRide is a platform where a person comes to take a job and ends up owning the vehicle. It is also a platform that any government, or any organisation with a social development or CSR mandate, can use to empower the people they want to support. The people get their own asset at the end of it.”
On her part, the lawmaker representing Lagos Island Constituency I in the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mrs Omolara Oyekan-Olumegbon, said, “Everyone keeps saying there are not enough jobs for our youths. This is our own way of ensuring that they are empowered.
“When you give a person money, it is money, and it finishes. This is the difference between giving a man a fish and teaching him how to fish. You are giving these young men something they can use to take care of themselves, their families and their homes.
“We must thank the chief executive of the Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority for doing this, and I must also thank Chief Diana Chen. Lagos Island is a commercial hub, and we intend to keep the flag flying. This is the beginning, and we will be coming back to ask for more.”
