AfroCab launches mobile taxi-hailing platform in Nigeria

This is somewhat surprising, there’s another taxi app making a play on the African continent, this time specifically in Nigeria, and the app’s name is AfroCab.

Not dissimilar to Tranzit or EasyTaxi, AfroCab offers commuters a way to call for a cab with the push of a button on their mobile phones. Interestingly, users can set their own price prior to calling for the cab, to which the app suggests a fare that most closely matches the request.

There are no payments made through the app, but rather AfroCab works on a cash-basis, so commuters simply pay the driver at the end of their trip, luckily with the knowledge of exactly how much the ride will cost.

Similarly to Uber, AfroCab does not own a fleet of cars, but has partnered with existing car companies offering their drivers its technology. The company states that it is also open to any driver that meets its criteria, providing those members of the public with a potential revenue stream.

Other Uber-esque features on the AfroCab app include showing you the name, licence, photograph and phone number of your driver, as well as a map that displays your car approaching.

Furthermore you can specify the type of car you want to ride from a registered taxi to a private car or limousine.

AfroCab is only servicing Lagos and Abuja at the moment, but there are plans to expand to other major cities in the country before the end of Q1, according to the website.

The startup was officially founded in 2012 by a group of Nigerian-based entrepreneurs, and the company states that it has raised seed funding from private investors. AfroCab had a stealth launch in April this year, when it offered one week’s worth of free rides (up to a cap).

There’s still no word on when Uber will be officially launched in Nigeria, so the opportunity is currently still there for local startups to try secure the market.