Home-grown e-hailing startup ProTaxi has commenced operations in Abuja, entering the country’s competitive ride-hailing market with a fleet of electric vehicles and a plan to create income opportunities for 1,000 drivers and their families.
The platform, developed by PromiseLand Innovations Ltd., is positioning electric mobility as a way to reduce drivers’ operating costs and offer commuters a more affordable alternative to conventional petrol-powered transportation.
Speaking at the launch, Chief Executive Officer Lawrence Oloche said ProTaxi was designed to do more than connect passengers with drivers.
“Today, we introduce ProTaxi, which is not just another e-hailing application”, adding that “It is a platform that creates opportunity and changes destiny”.
The company’s driver-empowerment programme is expected to provide electric vehicles to 1,000 drivers.
PromiseLand said the initiative would allow drivers to earn a living while supporting household expenses such as school fees and rent.
“Behind every ProTaxi ride is a driver with a family,” Oloche said.
“For every ride that is booked, a child’s school fees is paid, a house rent is paid and a dream is fulfilled for a better future,” he added.
ProTaxi’s launch comes as Nigeria’s transportation sector grapples with rising fuel and vehicle-maintenance costs.
By using rechargeable electric vehicles, the company hopes to lower the cost of operating a taxi and create room for more competitive fares.
PromiseLand has described the platform as a homegrown mobility solution that combines digital technology with electric vehicles.
The company said its longer-term ambition is to build an African technology business capable of competing internationally.
Oloche said the company’s goal was to use innovation and technology to help people improve their economic circumstances.
“We believe that circumstances should not determine destiny,” he said.
“When you give people the right tools, the right opportunities and the right environment, their lives can be transformed.”
He added that creating work for thousands of drivers would have an impact beyond individual households.
“When we create opportunities for thousands of drivers, we are not just watching families; we are reshaping communities,” he added.
Prince Adetokunbo Ade-John, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on transportation and mobility, commended the initiative and said it aligned with the administration’s transportation objectives.
He praised Oloche for investing in an electric mobility platform and supporting employment opportunities in the sector.
Gift Emmanuel, Executive Director of PromiseLand Estate, said the initiative was intended to serve ordinary Nigerians.
She said the company had started in Abuja and planned to extend its operations to other states.
“The vision is to help the masses,” she said.
The launch marks the beginning of ProTaxi’s Abuja operations as PromiseLand moves to deploy its electric-vehicle programme and compete in Nigeria’s expanding e-hailing market.
The company is betting that locally developed technology, lower operating costs and electric mobility will help it attract both passengers and drivers.
