Edo state to launch API integration for e-hailing companies to help enhance safety. The Edo State Government has revealed its intentions to introduce API integration for ride-sharing service providers such as Bolt, Uber, and other operators within the state.
Edo State to Launch API Integration for E-Hailing Companies
Edugie Agbonlahor, the Managing Director of the Edo State Transport Authority (ESTA), unveiled this initiative during a recent driver safety summit organized by Bolt, one of the leading e-hailing companies, in the state capital.
Agbonlahor highlighted that the introduction of ride-hailing API integration is part of the government’s broader strategy, led by Governor Obaseki, to implement much-needed regulations for e-hailing services in the state.
ESTA Has Already Developed Regulations, Pending Approval
She mentioned that ESTA has already developed regulations, pending approval, and the API integration is expected to enhance the e-hailing environment in Edo State, although specifics about its functionality and purpose are yet to be clarified.
“It would serve as the regulatory framework governing the ride-hailing ecosystem to promote orderliness, eradicate the misconception that ride-hailing drivers are traditional car hire, and curb harassment by local government task forces,” Agbonlahor reportedly assured.
ESTA Will Issue Visual Identifiers to Drivers on E-Hailing Platforms
In addition to introducing API integration for platforms like Bolt and Uber, the government-backed Edo State Transport Authority (ESTA) will issue visual identifiers to drivers on these e-hailing platforms. These identifiers aim to exempt them from daily ticketing, a measure applied to other drivers in the state.
The ESTA hopes that these identifiers will facilitate smoother interactions between state authorities and ride-sharing drivers and encourage collaboration among all industry stakeholders to enhance safety and sustainability in ride-hailing operations.
Similar Actions Taken By Other States in Nigeria
Edo State’s move to regulate e-hailing services follows similar actions by other states in Nigeria. In 2020, the Lagos State Ministry of Transportation, under Commissioner Frederic Oladeinde, announced a data-sharing agreement with ride-hailing companies operating in Lagos.
This agreement required platforms to provide real-time access to user trips and location data through a state-provided backend API integration. The Lagos government justified this requirement as necessary for a well-regulated transport system and for the safety of both drivers and riders.
Lagos State Annual Licensing Fees and Road Improvement Levies on Ride-Hailing Platforms
Additionally, Lagos State imposed annual licensing fees and road improvement levies on ride-hailing platforms. However, recent conflicts between Uber and the Lagos government over data-sharing provisions resulted in the impounding of vehicles belonging to Uber drivers.
Uber asserts that it has met all regulatory requirements and is working with the Lagos government to resolve the issue.
With the situation in Lagos unfolding, stakeholders are keen to see how Edo State’s regulations will impact e-hailing operators like Uber and how these operators will respond to the new rules.
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