Pioneer smart bicycle-sharing startup in Nigeria, AwaBike, has expanded its offerings to the students of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
This launch marks its second location and will see the startup provide students of the institution with an easy, cheap and eco-friendly means of commuting around campus – bicycles.
Founded last year by Ifeoluwa Ogundipe, the startup is powering mobility while promoting healthy living and environmental sustainability in the country. Using a community-based approach, the startup lets users ride a bicycle for a given period after which users return the bike.
We did a #StreetTech report on the startup earlier this year, You can click here to read the full review.
Powered with an android app, users can search for a bike close to them and book it. Upon payment, which is charged at 20 Naira for 15 minutes, the user is provided with a QR code with which to unlock the bikes.
Before its full roll-out, the startup had received pre-seed investment from venture capital firm, Ingressive, after which it launched services in Lagos State University (LASU).
AwabikeDuring our #StreetTech review, we learnt the startup has fast become students favourite when it comes to moving around campus, mainly because it is a cheaper and more efficient alternative for students to get to places where shuttles won’t get to.
According to reports, the startup planned to expand to 40 campuses across Nigeria within a year. But after about a year of launch that is yet to happen, which makes one wonder why it hasn’t.
With over 20,000 students on campus, the school is another good spot for Awabike. However, it just might be faced with more hurdles as regards technology adoption like it was in LASU.
Hopefully, the startup has a way to surmount this challenge to increase its adoption.