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From Okwe Obi, Abuja
R-L: Obalonye, Minini Ntejiah and Obiora Umeh during the meeting in Abuja.
Between February 21 and 29, Hitch Africa, a Nigerian tech start-up organised one-day partners’ townhall in Lagos, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for drivers on the platform ahead of the launch of the e-hailing app March 1.
Over 300 drivers, who attended the first stakeholders meeting were trained on safe driving, security protocol, vehicle diagnostics, and had their health checked.
Co-founder/chief executive officer of Hitch Africa, Paul Obalonye, explained that “the training is aimed at scaling-up skill sets of drivers and riders to enable them provide efficiency in the transportation value chain.
“The clients expectedly desire premium service in the emerging on demand service ecosystem in a timely manner; to meet expectations of customers for a safe and secured environment would require the possess requisite skill- sets, knowledge, and a supportive environment.”
For Hitch Africa, focusing on drivers and riders who are key actors in the transport market with adequate training, skills and adherence to traffic regulations will result in safer and secure roads, eliminating human, mechanical, and environmental factors that cause accidents.
Reducing human and mechanical error through improving the skills base of drivers and riders, exposure to basic security protocol, and improved improve mental health will result in better outcomes.
He highlighted that the Hitch Africa initiative will impact collaboration and partnership by stakeholders in the effort to ensure a safe and secured transportation ecosystem in Nigeria.
The Nigeria Police, Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Vehicle Inspection Office, (VIO), and Lagos State Transport Management Agency, (LASTMA), all agreed that the meeting was the first ever where drivers and riders were accorded their respect, and their welfare and retirements plan made paramount by e-hailing app.
The Amalgamated Union of App-based Transporters of Nigeria (AUATON), Auto Power Technologies, Abuja, a vehicle diagnostic firm and Ultimate Health Management Services, a HMO, among others all commended Hitch Africa, an indigenous firm for thinking about their welfare.
The Commissioner of Police for the Federal Capital Territory, Benneth Igweh, in a keynote address at the Partners’ meeting organized by Hitch Africa in Abuja on February 29, 2024, canvassed for stakeholders’ collaboration to combat security incidents in the transport sector in FCT commonly known as ‘one chance’.
He reiterated that the police would appreciate intelligence sharing by the public as this would help them in securing the FCT.
Also, he stressed that efforts should be focused on mental health of drivers and riders as a pathway to improve safety on roads in the FCT and across the country.
The call by the FCT Police Commissioner position resonates with stakeholders who believe that through collaborative partnership the nation’s road would become safe, secured, and reduce road mishaps as drivers and riders adhere to traffic regulations.
The representatives of the FRSC sensitised the participants on basic traffic regulations and benefits of compliance which would be a win-win for all stakeholders as drivers and the passengers, riders and their products will be delivered safely and secure to expected destinations.
The FRSC team took participants through the traffic codes, observation of speed limits and other extant traffic regulations in the country.
The LATSMA and VIO team also delivered public education on traffic regulations as well as expectations of the agencies from the drivers operating in the states as required by the law.
Experts in the transportation agreed that various components in the sector are interrelated and support each the goal of achieving safe and secured roads in the country, ensure better service delivery and healthy drivers who plays a key role in the sector.
Hitch Africa, the organizers of the stakeholders noted that its corporate goal is to support the emergence of supportive environment that ensure drivers on its platform deliver premium services to clients, hence the need to upscale the drivers’ skills, expose them to requisite security protocol and support them by providing vehicle diagnostics check and opportunity for health check.
Hitch Africa noted that drivers with better skills in safe driving, eliminate mechanical faults by diagnosing them on time and fixing them save lives and help their businesses survive. The tech firm assured that the training will be a regular part of its business model as it seeks to empower the drivers and riders with requisite knowledge in service delivery.
One of the stakeholders who took a session on automobile diagnostic tests, Engr. Tony Nwachukwu, an automobile expert, noted that the partners’ meeting such as the one organised by Hitch Africa is a game changer for the e-hailing industry.
“I talked to them about the importance of Diagnosis, ways to mitigate guess works and basic problems with 5th Generation Camry and 9th Generation of Corolla used for e-hailing in Nigeria,” he quipped.
“Free auto diagnosis was offered to all cars that came for the event and proper recommendations were given for fixing.
“Hitch Africa is here and as an E-Hailer, get ready to work and enjoy the numerous benefits on their platform,” he added.
Stakeholders at the forum including Ibrahim Abdulraheed, an industry expert, who has worked with some e-hailing apps, explained that “as someone with considerable industry experience, I am of the view that Hitch Africa super app given the features I have seen as well as commitment made by the management would change our industry.
It enables drivers to save money and have access to navigation in view of being user friendly. I am advising drivers and riders in Abuja to take advantage of the excellent opportunity presented by the new app.
Other stakeholders that spoke hailed the welfare package which the company promise as part of overall benefits accruable to drivers and riders, which they noted would be an incentive to spur them to give the best to ensure the success of this venture.
For Hitch Africa, through the stakeholders’ initiative is signal that better days are ahead as it enters the On Demand Service, an emerging and innovative market with expansive opportunity. Hitch Africa is entering the market with a bang.
