The government of Osun is the most recent to enter the mobility sector. It announced on Thursday, March 10 that it has teamed up with Metro Africa Xpress (MAX) Drive to distribute “1,000 tricycles to alleviate transportation burdens” in the state.
“The Government of the State of Osun, led by Governor Gboyega Oyetola, has inaugurated 1,000 tricycles to ease transportation burden for the citizens of the State,” MAX Drive tweeted in collaboration with MAX.
Max Footprint in the e-mobility Industry:
Max Drive has been steadily gaining traction in the rapidly saturating e-mobility industry across the country by forming partnerships with governments wary of endorsing motorcycles.
It partnered with the Ekiti state government in 2020 to “digitize operations of commercial motorcycles (Okada) and tricycles (Keke)” in the state.
This new collaboration comes just a few months after discussions in the executive branch of the government focused on how to tighten okada restrictions in Osun.
Comrade Amitolu Shittu, the Field Commandant of Osun Amotekun Corps, called for okadas to be banned from working at night in the state at the end of December 2021. Shittu argued that it was the best course of action for reducing criminal activity in the state.
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The Osun government has taken a tough stance on commercial motorcycles in the state, halting registration of okada riders in 2020 out of fear that many riders fleeing the Lagos ban would come to the state.
Toke Olaniyan, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Works and Transport, issued a statement to the press at the time, telling the public that “any strange motorcycle operator should be reported to the security agencies immediately.”
Max and Osun State Government Partnership
For Governor Gboyega Oyetola of Osun, tricycles appear to be the next best thing.
What is the location of Lagos? As the government plan for e-mobility becomes more uncertain and bleak, MAX has joined a long list of ride and bike hailing companies that have moved away from Lagos.
MAX was in talks with the Lagos government for what could have been a partnership in 2019, after raising $7 million in a funding round sponsored by Novastar Ventures and Japanese manufacturer Yamaha. Nonetheless, Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu withdrew, months later banning MAX, GoKada, and other ride-hailing businesses in the state. This came after GoKada pledged to plant 100,000 trees in Lagos over the next five years, with the first 10,000 trees set to be planted in 2019.
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Despite the fact that Lagos recently created its own ride-hailing firm, Lagos Ride, it appears that the caravan has left the state.
This collaboration between MAX and the Osun government is just the start of what to come from MAX Drive. It announced in December 2021 that it has raised $31 million in a Series B funding round to expand into new African markets.