When men of vision move, the marketplace takes notice. When they reinvent themselves, an entire industry may be forced to sit up and pay attention. Such is the story of Otunba Hakeem Alobo-Bakare, the dashing Lagos-born construction czar whose latest ambition is set to take him from building skylines to reshaping the way Lagos moves.
Tall, charismatic and blessed with the unmistakable aura of a man accustomed to making bold moves, Alobo-Bakare has long occupied a distinctive place among Nigeria’s entrepreneurial elite. His name has become synonymous with construction, enterprise and a relentless pursuit of excellence. Yet, beneath the polished exterior of the successful businessman lies an even more restless spirit, one constantly searching for the next frontier to conquer.
And now, he appears ready to take Lagos by storm.
Come November 2026, Alobo-Bakare’s latest brainchild, HABRide, will make its much-anticipated entrance into Lagos’ fiercely contested e-hailing arena. But this is no ordinary business expansion. It is a calculated attempt to rewrite the rules of urban mobility by marrying technology, convenience, safety and better economics for both passengers and drivers.
HABRide promises a different experience, combining conventional app bookings with WhatsApp requests and a one-tap ride feature. Its technology-driven safety architecture will include driver KYC verification, real-time ride tracking and an emergency panic button designed to alert nominated contacts and emergency services.
But the venture does not stop at passenger transportation.
With cars, dispatch motorcycles and pickup vans expected on the platform, HABRide is positioning itself across ride-hailing, courier and logistics services.
Its digital wallet could even enable Nigerians in the diaspora to fund rides for relatives back home.
For Alobo-Bakare, HABRide represents more than another investment. It is the latest manifestation of a man who has built a career on thinking big and refusing to arrive quietly.