The Lagos motorcycle hailing scene has been waiting since May when it was announced that SafeBoda will join ORide, Gokada, and Max Okada in Nigeria

Today, Techawk can now report that SafeBoda from Uganda and the leading motorcycle hailing business in East Africa has finally launched in Ibadan, Oyo State and not in Lagos like many expected.

The reason for choosing Ibadan as its launchpad in Nigeria may be connected to the harassment of riders of motocycle ride-hailing firms in Lagos by area boys and the proposed 25 million operating fees the Lagos State Government is planning to slam on them. In Ibadan, they are not likely to face some of these aforementioned problems.

The startup prior to this expansion to Nigeria had raised an undisclosed Series B funding round from Indonesia’s ride-hailing firm GOJEK and Allianz X, the digital investment arm of the global insurance group Allianz and appointed Babajide Duroshola as Country Head, Nigeria.

Speaking on their proposed expansion to Lagos a the time Duroshola was appointed, the co-founder and co-CEO, Alastair Sussock said “We are exploring Lagos and other markets and Babajide is leading the efforts for SafeBoda in Nigeria. Really excited for the future and the super-strong talent we now have on our team”.

For Duroshola, “SafeBoda is more than a ride-hailing company to me, the brand has an aura of emotion which I felt when I had my onsite with them. They have changed how people perceive Boda (Okada) drivers in Uganda and how they perceive themselves. And I’m looking to help them replicate that in Nigeria, starting in Lagos.”

SafeBoda like other motorcycle ride-hailing firms will be identified by the colour orange.

Correction: SafeBoda Launched in Ibadan and not Lagos like we earlier reported

[img]https://www.techawkng.com/2019/12/01/oride-gokada-maxokada-please-welcome-ugandas-safeboda/[/img]