Nigeria's Leading Tech Mobility Company, Nairaxi, Calls for Digitisation of Public Transit to Offset Fuel Price Increase Impact

Kingsley Eze, Co-founder, and CEO of Nairaxi, a prominent tech mobility company, emphasizes the importance of digitizing Nigeria's public transit system to mitigate the impact of fuel price increases resulting from the removal of subsidies. In a recent discussion on Arise TV, Eze highlighted that transportation costs, apart from food, account for a significant portion of Nigerians' expenses when moving from one place to another.

While many Nigerians perceive public transport as a service primarily catering to the economically disadvantaged, Eze contends that if utilized efficiently, it could play a crucial role in addressing the challenges posed by the subsidy removal.

"In light of recent market realities following the subsidy removal, we need to adapt our transit system accordingly. This demand, which was previously lacking in the public transit sector, calls for an increased supply of tech mobility operators and an efficient regulatory framework by the government," stated Eze.

Elaborating on the resourcefulness of governments during crises, Eze referred to historical instances like the World War, which led to numerous developments. He emphasized that public transportation should be seen as a sustainable service rather than a profit-making endeavor. To achieve this, Eze emphasized the importance of equipping public transit agencies and governments at both the state and federal levels with tools to make public transportation sustainable.

He called on the federal government to declare a state of emergency on public transportation and cited the success of the Kano Metropolitan Transport system, which currently operates in partnership with Nairaxi.

Eze further highlighted the benefits of tech-driven mass mobility in Abuja, stressing that it would decongest the roads and offer an affordable solution to the challenges arising from subsidy removal. He emphasized the need for contactless payment methods to ensure effective utilization, monitoring, security, and traceability of the mass transit system.

Drawing inspiration from advanced societies, Eze envisions a scenario where individuals can access affordable and comfortable public transit services to commute between home and work seamlessly. Nairaxi's technology-powered bus services play a pivotal role in providing efficient and accessible mass transit to a significant number of people.

Nairaxi has been actively engaging with the government, particularly the Ministry of Transport and other key stakeholders in the transport sector, to bring about positive changes. Eze highlighted Nairaxi's contribution to the transport sector, including the provision of free mobility services for commuters within Abuja's central business district, offering free rides to major satellite towns like Nyanya, Lugbe, and Kubwa. This initiative aims to introduce Abuja residents to Nairaxi's tap-to-pay technology available on the free BRT transit buses.

Kingsley Eze has been a driving force in promoting proactive measures to digitize transportation and make it convenient and accessible to Nigerians, particularly in light of fuel subsidy removal. His efforts over the past three years have aimed to alleviate the eventual challenges and hardships arising from the subsidy removal on petrol.