The Federal Government has welcomed GIG Mobility Group’s (GIGM) expansion into digital mobility services, urging the corporate to prioritise reliable service supply because it strikes past interstate transportation into journey reserving and premium automobile rent.
The authorities stated digital mobility options should not solely simplify journey preparations but in addition assure reliable services and defend clients who depend on expertise to organise their journeys.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Olufunso Adebiyi, represented by Usman Abubakar, Deputy Director, Road and Mass Transit, gave the admonition on Wednesday in Abuja on the unveiling of PASS by GIGM and hireX by GIGM.
Mr Adebiyi stated the ministry remained open to partnerships with the corporate, describing the platforms as an innovation that might enhance transportation and journey services.
He additionally burdened that the ministry hoped the corporate’s new services would profit Nigerians and wished it success in its expansion.
According to the Director-General of the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Joseph Osanipin, the launch marked the start of the work required to maintain the services, warning that the corporate would want to satisfy clients’ expectations as demand grew.
“After we have launched today, the real work is going to start. Many customers will come in and demand this service. We have to be up to it,” he stated.
Mr Osanipin stated belief, reliability and responsive customer support have been important to the success of digital mobility platforms, notably the place clients have been required to offer private data and make funds earlier than travelling.
He added that innovation should tackle sensible issues and ship options by expertise in seamless, environment friendly methods.
GIGM’s background and expansion
GIG Mobility Group is a Nigerian transportation and expertise firm that started operations in 1998 as God Is Good Motors, offering interstate passenger transportation.
Founded by Edwin and Stella Ajaere in Benin City, the corporate initially operated between Benin City and Lagos earlier than increasing its bus services to different Nigerian cities.
After Edwin Ajaere’s dying, his son, Chidi Ajaere, took over administration and led the corporate’s expansion and adoption of technology-driven transportation services.
The firm rebranded from God Is Good Motors to GIG Mobility in 2019, reflecting its expansion past typical passenger transportation.
It additionally expanded into Ghana, the place it operates transportation services, together with routes connecting Accra and Kumasi.
GIGM has launched digital reserving and transport administration techniques into its operations, permitting clients to ebook interstate journeys on-line reasonably than relying solely on bodily terminals.
The firm says it operates greater than 40 terminals throughout Nigeria and Ghana. Its Chief Executive Officer, Enahoro Okhae, stated the Gwagwalada terminal, opened on Tuesday, was its fortieth terminal throughout West Africa.
What the brand new platforms provide
The two platforms are designed to increase GIGM’s services past its conventional interstate bus transportation enterprise into different elements of mobility and journey.
PASS by GIGM is a journey and excursions platform that brings collectively flight bookings, resort reservations, airport pickups, curated excursions and interstate bus ticketing. It is meant to permit clients to organise totally different components of a journey by one digital channel reasonably than reserving every service individually.
hireX by GIGM, alternatively, is a vehicle-hire market providing chauffeur-driven autos for hourly, each day and one-way bookings. The service is designed for airport transfers, enterprise journeys, occasions and different journeys requiring employed autos.
According to the corporate, its Abuja fleet will comprise autos owned by GIGM and people operated by companion suppliers.
The platforms kind a part of the corporate’s broader plan to develop a mobility ecosystem that connects transportation with journey and associated services.
GIGM says buyer expectations are altering
Mr Okhae defined that the expansion was knowledgeable by altering buyer expectations, notably calls for for comfort, pace, digital entry and less complicated journey preparations.
He stated the corporate had historically been identified for shifting passengers between states however was now searching for to offer services masking different components of their journeys.
“Strong companies evolve. Strong companies listen. Strong companies learn. They adapt. They invest,” he stated.
Mr Okhae added that the corporate was searching for to reply to the motion of individuals throughout Africa for enterprise, schooling, household engagements, tourism and different alternatives.
He famous that GIGM’s expansion was primarily based on the assumption that clients more and more wanted related services reasonably than separate transportation preparations.
“The future belongs to connected solutions, not isolated services,” he stated.
He stated the corporate was constructing an ecosystem that might let clients entry totally different services and organise their journeys.
Mr Okhae added that Abuja was strategic to the corporate’s expansion, explaining that the launch was meant to increase services already launched in Lagos to clients within the capital.
Technology and operational capability
Charles Oloyede, GIGM’s Head of Product, stated expertise had enabled the corporate to develop into different segments of the mobility enterprise.
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He defined that the corporate’s current technological infrastructure supported street and air journey services, serving to it handle operations and supply clients with totally different journey choices.
Mr Oloyede stated the corporate relied on expertise to handle operational complexities that might be troublesome to deal with manually.
He added that GIGM had about 150 each day touchpoints, though he didn’t make clear whether or not the determine referred to transactions, operational contacts or buyer interactions.
He additionally famous that the corporate’s expertise had been developed to assist its operations and supply clients with a extra coordinated journey expertise.
According to Mr Oloyede, Abuja was an vital marketplace for the corporate, and the launch was meant to increase services already obtainable in Lagos to clients within the capital.
NADDC highlights reliability and buyer belief
Mr Osanipin stated clients would want confidence within the platforms earlier than entrusting them with private data, funds and journey preparations.
He famous that reliability and responsive customer support have been equally vital, notably when clients encountered difficulties or wanted pressing help.
The NADDC director-general stated the corporate’s expertise in transportation might assist it reply to clients’ wants however cautioned in opposition to assuming that the launch alone would assure success.
He urged the administration to proceed enhancing its services and keep away from complacency.
“When you are number one, think as number two,” he stated.
The platforms come at a time when clients more and more use digital channels to rearrange transportation and different services.
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