African mobility company Moove has reportedly impounded the vehicles of some of its drivers over nonpayment of loans.
The company which partnered with Uber to provide vehicles for drivers without a down payment, which they are expected to pay off in daily installments, has seen some drivers default in payments which forced the company to kick them off from the platform and seize the vehicles.
Some of these drivers have lamented that they earn very little from the ride-hailing platform, which makes it difficult for them to be able to repay the loan. Several others described it as an “unfair arrangement,” stating that they are left with almost no money after paying Moove and Uber.
According to drivers, vehicles purchased through this partnership came with the condition that the driver would complete 12 trips daily, and spend about 12 hours a day, six days a week, on the Uber app. Despite the long hours, drivers said they find it hard to make money because the cars are hatchbacks, which places them in the cheaper Uber Go category.
A driver Adams Ikemu, who once worked with Moove before he was kicked out of the platform and had his vehicle seized, revealed that drivers who are given the vehicles, work through their noses and at the end of the day may not be able to see the end of payment before frustration sets in.
Responding to the complaints of drivers on its platform, a spokesperson at Moove said,
“It is understood that Nigeria had faced a series of unprecedented economic challenges in recent months and that it did not take decisions to impound vehicles lightly. It is also important to recognize that we operate as a business, and sometimes this means we need to make tough decisions.
“Any vehicles that have been impounded were done as a result of customers not hitting the new KPIs [key performance indicators] as part of the Moove Cares program. Under the Moove Cares program, launched to address the recent economic issues, the daily installments for some of the drivers have been reduced”.
Moove’s spokesperson said the company had reduced its daily loan installment amount to 6,400 naira, to make it easy for drivers to pay back. Drivers disclosed that indeed the company had made some changes such as decreasing the installment amount, cutting the minimum required trips to 10, and allowing them to work 10 hours a day instead of 12, although it had failed to deliver on its promises to provide them with auto, health, and life insurance.
Investors King understands that since 2022, Moove drivers in Nigeria have been protesting against unbearable working conditions, which has been ongoing on a low scale.
Launched in 2019, Moove is one of the earliest e-hailing-focused vehicle-financing companies to make its entry into Nigeria. It was founded in response to the challenge faced by over 2 million African mobility entrepreneurs, the lack of access to vehicle financing. Moove was initially built to solve this problem in Lagos and has since expanded to 6 cities across Africa.
The company is committed to building the largest and most productive hybrid and EV fleet in the world, empowering customers with greener options and positively contributing to a more sustainable world.
