Uber launches taxi service in Nigeria's commercial city

Uber Driver - Pic courtesy Uber Lagos

Getting around in Nigeria's boisterous city, Lagos can be a nightmare for commuters who often encounter what many call a go-slow - a traffic jam crawling through lanes of hooting yellow buses and rickshaws every day. Apart from running late, commuters often worry about their safety. Nigeria is one of the world's worst countries for kidnapping, getting in the wrong cab could end up costing you or your family a lot more than the agreed taxi fare.
A number of new taxi service companies are now offering transport options to commuters with a promise of making their travel easier and safer.
Silicon Valley's Uber a new entrant, recently launched its online cab-hailing services here.
The company uses a smart phone app and GPS technology to provide taxi services by linking up customers with a trusted driver who is nearby. The drivers go through an eight step process of vetting to check their psychological state and car documents. They also undergo training on customer service and appropriate conduct. Uber is now competing strongly with Easy Taxi, a Rocket Internet startup launched in 2013 with same strategy of providing taxi services by linking customers with a trusted driver nearby. 

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Uber makes entry into Nigeria market with 'safer' taxi services

Pic courtesy Uber Lagos

Uber riders - Pic courtesy Uber Lagos

Young entrepreneurs open Nigeria's first coffee chain

Pic courtesy Cafe Neo

A coffee shop in Nigeria's Lagos is a rare sight for many living in the West African country. The coffee culture is something that is alien to the Nigerian culture but all that is fast changing with the opening of coffee shop Cafe Neo in the country's commercial city. Popular Cafe Neo set up shop in the high-brow area of Lagos in 2012 to attract Nigeria's budding middle class with its unique coffee sourced from Rwanda. Established by two brothers, Ngozi and Chijioke Dozie, their aim is to celebrate the return of coffee to its African roots. The brothers are looking to leverage on the country's population and are working towards ensuring the business is successful before coffee giants like Starbucks make an entrance into the Nigerian market. The atmosphere in the coffee shop is slightly upbeat with music playing in the background, sofas have been set up with free WiFi internet for those who intend to stay connected while having a cup of coffee. The new cafe phenomenon was a challenge for the brothers at the initial stage but currently, they attend to over 100 customers daily.
Co-Founder, Cafe Neo, Ngozi Dozie says the need to establish a coffee shop came when they realised Nigeria did not have cafes solely dedicated to selling coffee.
Coffee giant Starbucks is already eyeing the sub-Saharan African market and will open stores in sub-Saharan Africa for the first time next year after agreeing a deal with Taste Holdings in July.

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Business brewing at Nigeria's first coffee chain

Pic courtesy Cafe Neo

Pic courtesy Cafe Neo

Ngozi Dozie - Pic courtesy CCTV