Gokada, the Lagos-based on-demand motorcycle taxi app, has celebrated its first year in business with the launch of its brand new office in Ilupeju. The transport tech disruptor in the ridesharing industry has also confirmed that the new corporate HQ will house a state-of-the-art Driver Training School, set to train and verify up to 500 riders at a time, and is due to open in April 2019.
Gokada has been described as the future of quick, safe and reliable transport in Nigeria – where riders can either hail or request drivers via the newly re-launched mobile app [available on Android and iOS].
In just 12 months of operation, Gokada has secured close to 1,000 bikes and completes around 5,000 rides across Lagos’ Mainland each day.
To mark the launch of the new Gokada HQ,
Founder and CEO, Deji Oduntan, hosted a panel with Nigerian tech start-up founders, many of whom arrived on Gokada bikes. Panellists included Afua Osei, Co-Founder of She Leads Africa, Obi Ozor Co-Founder of Kobo360, Nadayar Enegesi, Co-Founder of Andela and Director of Launchpad (Andela’s internal incubator for mission-critical initiatives), and Joshua Chibueze, Co-Founder of PiggyVest.
Discussing how his company is tackling the one billion dollar Nigerian okada-riding market, Deji Oduntan, Founder and CEO of Gokada says, “Gokada was built on a super simple premise; moving Lagos citizens around the traffic-plagued city, safely and quickly. Congestion smothers our entire economy and affects all businesses – from SMEs to corporate giants. We tackle this head on, acting as a catalyst for the economy to boost productivity and keep the city moving; on two wheels.
“Investing in drivers, investing in tech, incorporating feedback from our customers into our product design, providing reliable and fast service to thousands of riders each day – these are all core aspects of what we have prioritised over the past year of operations at Gokada, as we work tirelessly as a team to be the future of two-wheeled transport. Whilst we celebrate and look back at a strong first year, we are now doubling down to make 2019 an even bigger year, as we consolidate our position as the motorcycle market leaders. As part of this, we will be looking to launch in new cities as well as introduce new verticals to our offerings”.
Gokada bikes get riders to their final destinations 50% quicker than other available transport options in Lagos. Ensuring passenger safety is central to the company’s operations, all drivers must pass rigorous defensive driving safety and psychometric testing before they are selected as Gokada riders, which has resulted in a 0.013% accident rate.
