What started as a frustrating moment during a vacation has now grown into one of Nigeria’s boldest new tech startups. Gregory Muna Peter Onojasike was in Cape Town, South Africa, trying to book a ride using a popular ride-hailing app, but the app wouldn’t connect him to a driver. He kept getting the same message: “Driver busy.”
“When I tried to book a ride on Bolt, it was always saying ‘driver busy, ”and I figured I could come in with my idea and company and do something better,” Onojasike said.
That small inconvenience triggered a big idea, one that would later become M-Ride, a Nigerian-built ride-hailing platform created to serve the country’s drivers and passengers better than the global giants. Today, Onojasike is the CEO and Director of Operations at M-Ride, leading a team determined to give Nigerians an affordable, reliable, and locally made option.
But Onojasike’s path to tech didn’t begin in Silicon Valley, it started at sea. He studied Nautical Science and Seamanship at the Delta School of Marine Technology and spent years working in the maritime and importation industries, but beneath the surface, there was always an interest in technology and innovation.
“I have always loved technology, so I had an eye for tech. I already figured out some years back that tech is the new world; tech is the future.”
His love for driving and fast cars made transportation feel like familiar territory and also played a role in the decision to enter the transportation space. He stated, “Driving is my hobby and passion. I love driving fast and I love fast cars, so when I am a little down, I take a drive or visit the beach. Nature also helps me rejuvenate. If someone looks at my weekend, they should be able to learn that even on weekends, I work because I love being productive. I am a workaholic.”
M-Ride is entering a market already dominated by foreign companies like Uber and Bolt. But for Onojasike, M-Ride isn’t just a business; it is a mission, a ride-hailing platform created by Nigerians for Nigerians to solve problems specific to local users, something foreign platforms often overlook.
“I also realised that the ride-hailing giants we have in Nigeria are not Nigerian companies but foreign companies. So M-Ride was built by Nigerians for Nigerians, and we understand our local needs.”
Onojasike said one of the biggest problems in ride-hailing today is unfair pricing and high commission fees, and M-Ride is addressing that by “creating a platform where drivers take home more with a smile on their faces and passengers do not get overcharged by drivers because of the high commissions. The founder of M-Ride is a transparent individual, so whatever comes out from him should also exhibit transparency. That’s why we promise transparency to Nigerians.”
M-Ride has already attracted attention from investors, government officials, and everyday users. The company hopes to expand to more cities in Nigeria and across Africa in the future.
“We showed them what we have—the features, the design, and the all-in-one ride-hailing app. With that, we were able to convince investors, government, partners, and customers that this is the next-generation ride-hailing app in Nigeria and Africa at large.
“My team and I bonded as a family to achieve the desired goals for M-Ride, and we said between ourselves, ‘This is the next-generation ride-hailing app. Let us get this done!”
Onojasike believes M-Ride can grow to become one of the biggest ride-hailing services in Africa, stating that “If I fast forward to five years from now, we see M-Ride as the giant of ride-hailing in Nigeria and Africa at large.”
Even though the ride-hailing business is tough and already has big players, Onojasike believes M-Ride can succeed with hard work, honesty, and local knowledge.
Onojasike is excited about the future of transport, especially with new technology like self-driving cars to reduce human error and accidents, and better access for the elderly and people with disabilities. But he also warns that Nigeria needs to improve its roads and transport systems to keep up with these changes.
“Innovation without regulation can lead to chaos or unsafe conditions,” he warned. “Roads, traffic laws, and city planning may not keep pace with tech.”
M-Ride enters Lagos market with driver-friendly subscription and safety features
A new player, M-Ride, has entered Nigeria’s crowded ride-hailing market, and it is doing things differently by launching a tech-driven platform that will solve long-standing annoyances for both drivers and passengers.
M-Ride, founded by Gregory Muna Peter Onojasike, is a new indigenous ride-hailing service built for Nigerians by Nigerians that introduces a ride-hailing model that emphasises in-app safety technology, a no-commission earnings structure for drivers, and fare negotiations that give both riders and drivers more control.
M-Ride, which the company describes as “a safer, convenient, yet more affordable, way to move around Lagos”, was founded in response to what it says are “pertinent problems” facing the industry, such as security flaws and fare disputes.
“M-Ride was inspired by the need to solve the current pertinent problems associated with ride hailing, like poor remuneration of drivers leading to exploitation of passengers by the same drivers who feel cheated, fears of insecurity due to poor security measures in place in some ride hailing platforms, unnecessary price surges for riders and even uncontrolled price offers by drivers during negotiations, insufficient reward system for riders to look forward to and other benefits which the riders ought to experience,” ” the management said.
Unlike most ride-hailing platforms operating in Nigeria, which take a percentage cut of each fare, M-Ride has introduced a subscription-based model where drivers pay a flat fee to use the platform. This, the company says, ensures that drivers keep 100% of their earnings.
“We also don’t apply any commission charges to the drivers for each ride ensuring that the money they make is all theirs and helping them also stay flexible with how they set their rates,” it added.
The company argues that this model will reduce driver frustration and fare inflation problems that have led to poor service experiences and sometimes even conflict between drivers and riders.
In another departure from industry norms, M-Ride allows users to negotiate fares before each ride begins. Rather than relying on automated pricing or surge algorithms, drivers and passengers can mutually agree on a price within the app.
“We understand that Nigerians love to be in control and that is why this feature is important on the app,” the company said. “Not only can riders determine how much they are willing to let go for each ride or drivers determine what prices work best for their destination.”
M-Ride is also launching a rewards system to build customer loyalty. The app features a rider leaderboard that offers incentives based on usage, including welcome packages and the option to select ride types that suit a rider’s personal style.
Given rising concerns about harassment and assault during ride-hailing trips, M-Ride includes an in-app dashcam system, which records each ride and stores footage on a secure backend. The company says this feature is intended to help resolve disputes and deter misconduct during trips and enhance safety for both passengers and drivers.
“M-ride will definitely give you an amazing experience and leave users in awe because we have an in-app built dashcam where a video recording of what transpired during each ride is captured. This will avoid cases of disputes, theft, or anything that could hamper a good experience for our customers. These video recordings will be available at our secured backend database.”
With plans to expand throughout Nigeria in the upcoming years, M-Ride is establishing itself as a “customer-centric brand” and promising to develop its features and roadmap in response to ongoing input from drivers and riders.
