As part of efforts geared towards bringing innovations to help people get anywhere, ride-hailing giant Uber has said it is readying two new services for the Nigerian market.
The services Uber Connect and Uber Hourly will be available in Nigeria in the “next few months,” the company said at a Go Get global consumer event last month.
“We want to bring innovations designed to help people get anywhere and get anything as cities start to move again,” Tope Akinwumi, Uber’s country manager, said in an emailed statement on Tuesday.
“As we want to show our commitment to improving the lives of Nigerians, and more importantly, unlocking access to earning opportunities for drivers, we believe this announcement is a step in the right direction.”
Uber Hourly is an alternative to on-demand, point-to-point trips that will provide riders added convenience with no need to re-book their ride.
It enables riders to book rides by the hour, providing them with a single driver for their entire journeys and unlimited stops along the way.
“Hourly already launched in several cities around the world including Dar es Salaam and based on those insights and the warm reception from both riders and drivers, we’re excited to bring this to Nigeria,” Akinwumi said.
“We built this feature for those moments when you anticipate you’ll need extra time getting things done, and so drivers can access a meaningful earnings opportunity while “locking in” an upfront time frame for the service provided,” adds Akinwumi.
Uber Connect leverages Uber’s logistics technology and network to provide people with a quick and affordable way to send packages to friends and family using the Uber app.
Akinwumi explains, “The agility of our platform allows us to quickly adapt our products to meet the evolving needs of communities impacted by the health crisis while experimenting with new revenue streams and earning opportunities for drivers.”
Uber Connect is already available in Ghana, South Africa and Kenya, including other countries across the globe.
