Ride hailing platform inDrive invested ₦1 billion in the welfare of its Nigerian drivers last year as competition intensifies in the country’s increasingly crowded digital mobility market. The company’s Country Representative, Oladimeji Timothy, said the investment covered healthcare, school fees for drivers’ children, vacations, fuel vouchers, health checks and seasonal support during Ramadan and Christmas.
Timothy said the company would continue investing in drivers as it seeks to strengthen its position in Nigeria’s ride hailing market. He explained that inDrive’s expansion strategy is built around understanding the transportation needs of different Nigerian cities and providing affordable, accessible and safe mobility services through its digital platform.
The company currently operates in seven Nigerian cities and is expanding the range of services available on its platform. According to Timothy, inDrive recently introduced a tricycle module as part of efforts to provide transportation options suited to different markets. The company is also strengthening driver verification, trip tracking and cooperation with local security agencies, while operating a local incident management hub to respond to safety concerns.
The renewed focus on drivers comes amid rising fuel, vehicle maintenance and other operating costs affecting Nigeria’s platform based transport sector. It also follows Uber’s exit from the Nigerian ride hailing market on September 2 after 12 years of operations, leaving competing platforms to contend for drivers and passengers. inDrive says it will continue investing in drivers, expanding its services and developing partnerships as it seeks to increase its presence in Nigeria.