UBER LAUNCHES IN ABUJA
Uber,created in 2009 byTravis Kalanick and Garrett Camp is a technology company which connects passengers to the Uber-registered drivers nearest to their pick-up location, in real time, via their smartphone. The uber network is available in 400 cities in over 70 countries spanning 6 continents.
Its mission is to change the way citizens of the world move, work and live.
Abuja has joined the smart multinational transport app, Uber. It was launched today Wednesday, 23 rd march 2016, making Abuja the city the 400 th in the world to be introduced to it.
Not your conventional taxi company, Uber is a technology solution which connects riders and drivers at the touch of a button, in real time, via their smartphone.
Uber was first launched in Lagos in July 2014, making it a year and 8 months since its official launch in Nigeria.
Since its launch in Africa, in 2013, Uber has moved to nine cities, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, morocco, Kenya, Egypt, Lagos, and launches in Mombasa and Abuja today.
It aspires to transform the way people connect with their communities and bring reliability, accessibility and opportunity to transport system.
At the launch in Transcorp Hilton Hotel Abuja, theGeneral Manager Uber Nigeria,Ebi Atawodi, expressed her excitement on having Uber in Abuja, and gave a brief history of the company in Nigeria.
“Uber offers a friendly and reliable complement to existing transport system. We are not a transport company, we do not employ drivers but we create an avenue for people who own cars to earn and be their own boss.”
“Since launching in Lagos in 2014, Uber has been accepted and have created well over 1000 job opportunities. We are excited to launch in Abuja now, and believe it would create more job opportunities to grow the local economy”(end quote)
“Uber is part of a broader evolution in transportation and an exciting platform that is changing the way we travel and shaping the future of cities across the world,” says Alon Lits, General Manager, Uber Sub-Saharan Africa.
He also said that the company’s role is to grow small business ecosystem, support tourism and cities.
A major partner of “Uber Abuja” is Access bank, represented by its Executive Director Personal Banking Division, Victor Etuokwu.
“Access bank in always ready to help build small businesses in Nigeria, and Uber gives the opportunity for you to be your own boss” says victor Etuokwu.
UberX is at the present the only available Uber service in Abuja.