Uber Partners Lagos Govt to Provide Support for Start-ups

In a bid to create business and economic opportunities for individuals and provide support for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and startups, Uber has entered into a strategic partnership with the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) to boost the initiative.

Tagged UBERPITCH, the campaign which is done in conjunction with LSETF is an initiative that creates opportunities for entrepreneurs to pitch their ideas, learn from highly successful business leaders and potentially get capital to effectively run their business.

Commenting on the on the partnership, Uber’s General Manager for West Africa, Lola Kassim, said: “In line with Uber’s clear commitment to Africa and our goal of continually creating business and economic opportunities for all, the UBERPITCH campaign sees us supporting entrepreneurs by creating a platform for them to pitch ideas, leverage on relevant advice from business mentors, and potentially receive capital from the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund to run their businesses. Our partnership with the LSETF indicates that we are focused on ensuring that these entrepreneurs build viable and successful businesses.”

Speaking on the initiative and the collaboration with Uber, Executive Secretary/CEO of the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund, Akintunde Oyebode; said: “LSETF’s mandate of job creation by supporting entrepreneurship and employability, is a vision we share with Uber. Since its inception two years ago, LSETF has provided funding worth N6 billion to 8,000 businesses, and trained over 3,000 unemployed Lagos residents, with a view to place them in jobs. Through these activities, the Fund has enabled jobs for over 25,000 people, improved productivity of small businesses statewide, and ensured Lagos State remains on a path of sustainable economic growth.”

Country Marketing Lead for Uber in West Africa, Margaret Banasko, said: “The campaign is divided into two phases. The first phase is where Uber Riders who run tech-enabled businesses submit or “pitch” their ideas; and shortlisted candidates stand the chance of winning Workspace vouchers of up to N1.8 million. The second phase involves business owners to pitch their ideas to a panel consisting of the LSETF and globally recognized entrepreneurs, receive mentoring from highly successful business leaders and potentially get capital to effectively run their business.”

As part of activities to reward driver-partners, Uber Nigeria recently presented two brand-new cars and other consolation prizes to driver-partners who participated and came out tops in the uberFREEKICK campaign.