By Ayomide Otitoju
MAX, the Nigerian mobility company founded in 2015, has marked its 10th anniversary with a reflection on its evolution from a small last-mile delivery startup in Lagos to a leading force in Africa’s transition to sustainable transportation. Over the past decade, the company has built the continent’s largest electric vehicle fleet, expanded across West Africa, and developed financing and technology systems designed to make mobility safer, affordable, and more inclusive.
Co-founder and CEO Adetayo Bamiduro outlined the company’s key lessons in a commemorative article, noting that MAX’s growth was shaped not only by technology but by listening to riders, drivers, and communities. One example was the creation of its vehicle financing model after riders cited lack of credit access as their biggest barrier. The model now bundles loans with insurance, maintenance, and health coverage.
Bamiduro recalled the impact of the Lagos Okada ban in 2020, which could have derailed the business. Instead, it prompted MAX to expand into new regions, introduce additional financing products, and accelerate its shift toward electric mobility. “When your mission is bigger than the obstacle, setbacks become turning points,” he wrote.
Affordability remains central to EV adoption in emerging markets. MAX’s pay-as-you-go financing has enabled riders—especially those unable to secure bank loans—to purchase electric bikes and repay gradually through daily earnings. The company has also built an integrated mobility ecosystem that includes battery swapping stations, maintenance systems, insurance, energy partnerships, and compliance software.
Bamiduro emphasized that many of MAX’s innovations, such as offline-first apps and bundled services, were developed in response to local challenges like unreliable power supply and limited credit infrastructure. These models are now attracting global interest from companies studying EV adoption across emerging economies.
He credited partnerships with investors and organisations including Goodwell, Alitheia, Spiro and the Shell Foundation for helping MAX scale, while highlighting the importance of collaboration with regulators. He pointed to Rwanda’s proactive EV policies and growing engagement with Nigerian authorities as examples of what can be achieved when governments and innovators work together.
Beyond technology and investment, Bamiduro said MAX’s mission has always been rooted in improving lives. He cited riders whose incomes have doubled through ownership opportunities and young professionals who have advanced through the company’s training programmes.
Looking ahead, he said Africa is poised to leapfrog into clean, inclusive mobility—much like it once leapfrogged traditional banking through mobile money. “If the first decade was about proving what’s possible, the next decade is about scaling what’s necessary,” he wrote.
MAX says its focus remains on building systems that ensure sustainable, accessible mobility across rapidly urbanising African cities, with the goal of powering economic opportunity and shared prosperity.
