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Uber Launches New Products, Expands to Akure, Owerri
By Adedapo Adesanya
Ride-hailing giant, Uber, has announced the launch of multiple new products and features in Nigeria as well as other Sub-Saharan African countries like South Africa, Ghana, Kenya, and Côte d’Ivoire.
The launch, which took place simultaneously across various locations in Sub-Saharan Africa markets, also showcased the latest addition to its suite of safety features.
Speaking at the event, General Manager for Uber SSA, Mr Kagiso Khaole, said the brand was pleased to be expanding into eight more cities during September across Kenya, Nigeria and Ghana.
“As we gear ourselves to mark our 10th year anniversary next year, we are excited about moving into more cities enabling people to go anywhere and can get anything. Our commitment to raising the bar on safety remains relentless and we continue to work hard to grow the over 3 million earnings opportunities we have created thus far,” he said.
In Nigeria, Uber will now be operational in Owerri and Akure in Nigeria and will expand its operations to Eldoret, Kisumu, Nakuru and Naivasha in Kenya; and Tamale and Sunyani in Ghana.
Uber say this is part of its commitment to the region and signals more opportunities for more drivers to earn, while riders have convenient and reliable travel options at the tap of a button.
To help reduce costs for riders and increase demand for drivers, Uber launched UberX Share in Ghana and Nigeria, and Uber ChapChap Share in Kenya.
Uber’s shared rides offering allows riders to save up to 30 per cent of the trip fare when matched with a co-rider heading in the same direction, and where a match is not possible, they will still be able to save 5 per cent from their ride.
Speaking on this, Mr Khaole said — “The introduction of UberX Share allows us to proudly demonstrate the power of our platform, understanding the ability to match rider destinations while delivering convenience and affordability. We are a global company that builds locally; and in Ghana, we tapped into the local culture of car-pooling when moving around, which makes this product a great fit for the market.”
It also launched UberXL in Nairobi, Kenya to make travelling across the city with an entire crew has less easier. This option provides seating for up to six people which is great for airport and business trips where extra luggage space may be required. In South Africa, riders can now reserve their group travel 30 days in advance with UberXL Reserve and Uber Van Reserve.
Uber Comfort, which is currently available in South Africa and Côte d’Ivoire, will now be available in Ghana. This bespoke offering is designed for riders looking for an upgrade to their everyday ride with extra comfort. Drivers on Uber Comfort are known to provide excellent service, while exhibiting friendliness, courtesy and professionalism.
Uber Connect, one of the app’s most popular products available in South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, and Ghana. This will soon be available in two additional cities in Nigeria.
Uber Connect is an on-demand delivery solution that allows users to send and receive packages with speed. The feature comes built-in with a PIN verification providing users peace of mind that their package is being delivered to the right person.
The company said this will help it take a stand for safety.
“Safety is at the core of how we do business and we are proud to announce three new safety features to help improve the experience of users”, says Mr Khaole.
Among the other products is an Audio Recording pilot in South Africa. With this, Uber will now allow riders and drivers to use the app to record and share audio of their trip as evidence in the case of a safety incident – something that drivers have been asking for based on their feedback from roundtable sessions. This new opt-in audio recording feature, which is being piloted in Pretoria and Johannesburg, has been successful in the US and Latin American regions where Uber has a presence.
Also launched was the in-app emergency service in Nigeria. The firm has partnered with Sety to provide on-demand security and medical response for riders and drivers while on a trip. This collaboration will also provide access to a private security response unit closest to their location, using a connected device.
It also announced Safety Check-Up across SSA. This feature encourages riders to complete their safety profile by turning on and utilising the available features such as Trusted Contacts, PIN verification and RideCheck. This is available in all the countries within SSA where Uber operates.
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.”
