Lagos State government-backed e-taxi service, Lagride, has expanded its fleet with 100 electric vehicles as part of an ambitious plan to capture at least 70 per cent of the Lagos e-hailing market.

The company made this known in Lagos, where it said that its plan represented a significant step in the state’s broader transportation transformation strategy.

The new fleet addition maintains Lagride’s plan of weekly expansions to meet rising demand during the Ember months, when transportation needs typically surge across Lagos.

Lagride’s Executive Director, Adeniyi Saliu, linked the electric vehicle rollout to Lagos State’s broader economic vision, highlighting the potential for job creation across operations, maintenance and driver pathways.

“The expansion is designed to create thousands of dignified jobs while improving daily life for residents and visitors,” Saliu explained.

He mentioned the benefits of the plan to include shorter wait times, lower emissions and higher reliability during peak travel periods.

A key innovation is Lagride’s introduction of car leasing offers in partnership with leading banks, alongside “Drive to Own” and “Drive to Earn” options that allow drivers to build equity over time.

These programmes are designed to onboard up to 10,000 drivers, creating what the company describes as “a virtuous cycle of better livelihoods and better journeys.”

The Spokesman at Lagride, Ifeanyi Abraham, emphasised the platform’s commitment to replicating global best practices.

He noted that in cities like Dubai, government-supported e-taxis lead in safety, affordability and reliability.

“In global hubs such as Dubai, government-supported e-taxis set the pace on safety, affordability and reliability, and Lagos is now moving decisively in the same direction with professional driver training, technology that serves the public and vehicles that protect the environment,” Abraham stated.

The new LagRide electric cars can travel over 333 kilometres on a single charge, and can be recharged to operating readiness in as little as 30 minutes under rapid charging conditions.