The Co-founder and CEO of NAIRAXI, Nigeria’s leading tech mobility company, Kingsley Eze, has said digitization of Nigeria’s public transit system is the solution to the increasing cost of petrol.
Eze made the call on Arise News Night while speaking on fuel subsidy removal and the role of digital mobility in cushioning its effect, especially in the area of public mass transportation.
He said that apart from food, Nigerians spend most of their money on transportation to move from one place to another.
According to him, NAIRAXI “helps you to ensure that your physical asset is well utilized. We have technology-powered bus services, affordable and efficient mass transit systems that are currently transporting people en masse”.
Speaking on his contribution to the transport sector amidst the recent fuel subsidy removal and fuel price increase, the NAIRAXI boss made reference to the free mobility services which his company is providing to Commuters within FCT.
“We provide free rides from the central business district to three(3) major satellite towns in Abuja, namely, Nyanya, Lugbe, and Kubwa”, Eze noted.
He further explained that the process has helped to get Abuja residents acquainted with the NAIRAXI tap-to-pay technology available on the free BRT transit buses.
He further emphasized the benefits of tech-driven mass mobility in Abuja. He stated that the initiative will decongest the road and be a solution to the mammoth issues surrounding subsidy removal. It also provides an outlet for citizens to access affordable transportation from point A to point B.
According to Eze, contactless payment would help ensure that the mass transit system is well utilized, monitored, secured, and trackable.
He says, “With NAIRAXI, you don’t have to drive to work, your car is parked almost 90% of the time. With the use of technology, mass transit services could be scaled up, therefore making transit services efficient and accessible to all.
While making reference to advanced cities, Eze said, “If you go to an advanced society, you can see how the society works. You can actually have a ride to your office, a ride to your workplace, and rides to your home via an affordable and comfortable public transit system.
He noted that Nigerians see public transport as a service meant for the poor, but on the contrary, if utilized properly can help solve the challenges of subsidy.
Speaking about how Government can be resourceful, Kingsley explained that fortune is made during a crisis. He gave instance to the world war and the myriads of developments it birthed.
He said that public transportation is not meant to be profitable but sustainable. He emphasized the need to take public transport seriously by giving public transit agencies and state and federal government access to tools to make public transportation sustainable.
He, however, advised FG on the need to declare a state of emergency on public transportation. He also drew reference from the Kano Metropolitan Transport system, which is up and running with NAIRAXI.
“NAIRAXI has been engaging government at several levels, especially with engagements with the ministry of transport and other key stakeholders in the transport system.
“We must adapt our transit system to face the recent market realities because subsidy removal has created a demand which is what the public transit sector has been lacking over time. With the demand, we need a great supply of tech mobility operators and an efficient regulatory system by the government”, he added.
Eze has been on the front burner in the area of introducing proactive measures to digitise transportation, thereby making it convenient and accessible to Nigerians, especially in the face of fuel subsidy removal.
He championed this course in the last 3 years to lessen the eventual challenges and hardship of removing subsidy from petrol.
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