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Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, has said the launch of the global ride-hailing company, Uber, in Benin City, is a testament to the state’s improved ease of doing business and friendly investment climate, as efforts are being intensified to make the state an investors’ haven in the country.
Uber, on Wednesday, launched its service in Benin City, the third city it now has operations after Lagos and Abuja.
Obaseki, who spoke during the launch at the Edo Innovation Hub, in Benin City, tasked the management of Uber to set modalities to attract female drivers as they can handle the rigours on the platform.
Represented by the First Lady, Mrs. Betsy Obaseki, the governor urged females in the state to channel their energy away from illegal migration and take advantage of the Uber service in Benin City to make a living.
The Governor said the arrival of Uber will bring more development to the state which will encourage self-reliance and self-dependence for drivers, stressing, “The arrival of Uber in the state will create jobs for Edo people as they will become gainfully engaged thereby keying into the governor's vision of creating 200,000 jobs for Edo people.
According to him, “The launch of Uber is a laudable project and one that has proven that Edo is making a great drive to the next level of its economic transformation. The State Government is also finalising plans for the establishment of Edo Automobile Park, which on completion will house key players in the automobile value chain, ranging from car dealers, mechanics, spare part dealers.”
General Manager, Uber West Africa, Lola Kasim, said Uber has been in operation in Nigeria for five years, noting, "To celebrate our fifth year in Nigeria, we decided to launch in Benin City, Edo State, making it the third city in Nigeria where we operate after Lagos and Abuja.”
She said Uber started through the use of technology, noting that the firm is focused on safety.
Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Skills Development and Job Creation, Mrs. Ukinebo Dare, expressed delight at Uber’s launch in Benin, stressing that it's an avenue for job creation for Edo youths.
"We encourage investors to come to Edo State to do business as the government has created the enabling environment to woo investors to contribute their quota to the development of the state.”
Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Investment Promotion, Mr. Kelvin Uwaibi noted that Uber’s coming has shown that Edo State Government has created a business-friendly environment for investors to key into the developmental programme of the governor.
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Representative of Governor Godwin Obaseki and wife, Mrs. Betsy Obaseki (middle); Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Investment Promotion, Mr. Kelvin Uwaibi (left); Senior Special Assistant to the State Governor on Skills Development and Job Creation and Head, EdoJobs, Mrs. Ukinebo Dare (right); General Manager, West Africa, Uber, Lola Kassim(2nd left); Country Manager, Nigeria, Uber, Tayo Oyegunle (2nd right), at the Edo Innovation Hub, Benin City, on Wednesday, July 24, 2019.
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