Following the Lagos state government’s decision to ban Okada and tricycles in the state from operating on major roads, Lagos-based motorcycle-hailing startup, Gokada, has laid off most of its workforce, leading to mass unemployment.
Launched in January 2018, the startup was founded by Fahim Saleh to solve Nigeria’s largest city traffic problems.
Since then, Gokada has gone on to raise a total of $5.6 million from two rounds and claims to have completed more than a million rides.
Gokada reportedly laid off most of its staff two days after the announcement of the ban on the 27th of January by the Lagos state government.
Gokada CEO, Fahim Saleh, confirmed the layoffs, via a tweet to Techpoint reporter, Tage Kene-Okafor.
“While much of your report is accurate,” the tweet reads, “we still have money in the bank and are pivoting towards deliveries while this transport ban gets sorted. We were due to make a profit in January before the ban was announced.”
