Moove, an Uber-backed Nigerian startup that finances ride-hailing companies’ vehicles, has partnered with Alphabet’s self-driving car service, Waymo. This arrangement will see the African-based mobility service expand its services to the United States of America (USA) beginning next year.
“Ride-hailing has transformed urban mobility over the past 15 years, yet the core experience has largely remained unchanged,” Ladi Delano, Co-Founder and Co-CEO at Moove, said in a statement on LinkedIn.
“Waymo’s safe, reliable, and convenient Waymo One service leads in autonomous technology, and we’re driving a major shift in urban mobility.”
Terms of the deal will require Moove to take over existing fleet operations in Phoenix, one of Waymo’s most established markets, in 2025. Moove will oversee fleet operations and charging infrastructure to optimise vehicle supply availability and support Waymo’s driverless service, Waymo One Service. Then in 2026, the partnership will expand to Miami, leveraging Moove’s experience in completing 50 million trips under its vehicle finance schemes.
Fleet operations are not strange to Moove. The mobility company sells fleets of vehicles to drivers who need them for ride-hailing, logistics, and deliveries and deducts a percentage of the drivers’ income weekly for the service in Nigeria. The model has met its peculiar challenges among Nigerian drivers, who have suffered rising fuel prices and dwindling customer patronage.
The approach could be fruitful in the United States where the rise of robotaxi and electric vehicles has been welcomed with open hands. In October 2024, Waymo reported providing over 150,000 paid trips and driving over 1 million fully autonomous miles weekly. Moove, the four-year-old startup, founded by Ladi Delano and Jide Odunsi was recently valued at $750 million.
“We are excited to partner with Moove in Phoenix and later Miami, bringing together their mobility-focused fleet management experience with our growing Waymo One service,” said Ryan McNamara, Vice President of Operations at Waymo.
