Ride-hailing giant Uber has partnered with Sety to launch emergency in-app support for drivers and riders in Nigeria, as announced during a press briefing in Lagos on Thursday. Tope Akinwumi, the Country Manager for Uber in Nigeria, highlighted that safety is a fundamental priority for the company.
Akinwumi emphasized, “Safety is at the heart of what we do at Uber, and over the years, we have invested heavily in technology and other measures to help keep drivers and riders safe on the platform.”
Furthermore, Akinwumi stated, “We are putting safety at the heart of everything we do and always looking at ways to improve safety on the platform. Not only are we passionate about helping people travel from point A to B, we are committed to being a leading safety innovator, using new technology to improve safety standards for all riders and drivers operating on our platform.”
Nnamdi Melie, the Chief Executive Officer of Sety, also expressed his pride in partnering with Uber in Nigeria to empower riders and drivers through their on-trip emergency response service. Melie stated, “Our collaboration with Uber underscores our shared commitment to prioritizing and utilizing digital technology to enhance the safety of our customers and partners, thus ensuring the well-being of all Nigerians as a whole.”
Additionally, Uber announced its plans to introduce audio recording in the country. The new feature will allow riders and drivers to record and share audio of their trip via the app, serving as evidence in the event of a safety incident. This development comes in response to feedback received from roundtable sessions with drivers who had expressed a need for such a feature.
Uber stated, “This new opt-in audio recording feature has been successful in South Africa, where over 3,400 drivers and 80,000 riders using the Uber app have already set up the feature during the pilot period.”
The company believes that the audio recording feature will enhance the overall quality of evidence collected for reported safety incidents by both riders and drivers.
With these initiatives, Uber demonstrates its ongoing commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of its users in Nigeria. By leveraging technology and partnering with Sety, the company aims to set new safety standards and drive innovation in the ride-hailing industry.
