Gokada Considers Logistics, Waterways Business After Lagos Ban

February 7, 2020
Gokada

By Adedapo Adesanya

Following the ban of commercial motorcycles and tricycles in 15 local council development areas in Lagos, Gokada, a bike-hailing company, with its key operations in the state, is redirecting its focus to logistics and waterways transportation business.

Recall that after the new policy in Lagos on commercial motorcycle business, the start-up company reportedly laid off most of its employees. Before then, the cfirm had been struggling to meet up with new comer in the sector, ORide, owned by tech giant, Opera.

However, looking inward, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Gokada, Mr Fahim Saleh, said his company was going back to the drawing board to explore other areas.

“We still have money in the bank and are pivoting towards deliveries while this transport ban gets sorted,” he said.

According to Mr Saleh, the company was due to make a profit in January when the ban was announced.

“We were always going to do deliveries, and had started to develop the tech for it, but this ban accelerated the process,” he added.

Apart from delving into the logistics space, the Gokada boss also hinted that a Gokada boat service could launch anytime in February or before the year runs out.

“One 24-passenger boat just came in, and another is sitting at the port waiting to be cleared from customs.

“In between government approval and getting investors to back us for scale, there is still a lot of work that has to be done in this regard.

“I want to get hundreds of these boats in the water,” Mr Saleh said.

Speaking of the disengagement of a number of its employees, Mr Saleh explained that there was a need to adjust to present circumstances and cut down burn rate, saying that about 80 percent of the company’s workforce became jobless as a result of the policy.

With plans to tap into commercial waterways transportation, this means it could be a serious contender against by the commercial water transportation under the control of Lagos Ferry Services (LAGFERRY) which was launched on Tuesday by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

Adedapo Adesanya

Adedapo Adesanya is a journalist, polymath, and connoisseur of everything art. When he is not writing, he has his nose buried in one of the many books or articles he has bookmarked or simply listening to good music with a bottle of beer or wine. He supports the greatest club in the world, Manchester United F.C.

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