What if the simple act of commuting puts your life at risk?
For many women in Nigeria, public transportation is not just a matter of convenience—it’s a gamble with safety. Stories of harassment, assault, and even murder have become alarmingly common, highlighting an often-overlooked transportation crisis that disproportionately affects women. A study focusing on female students at the Federal University of Technology, Akure revealed that “a staggering 93% had experienced sexual harassment while using public transport” (SSRN 2023). This is why Ijeoma Seraphie Obiedelu, a passionate advocate for women’s safety and empowerment and 2025 RANA Prize Winner, is stepping up to transform the transportation landscape in Nigeria.
Historically, women’s safety in the transport sector has been an issue of concern. According to the 2011 World Bank Transport Brief on Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) titled ‘Making Transport Work for Women and Men: Challenges and Opportunities In the Middle East and North Africa Lesson‘;
Transport is not ‘gender neutral.’ Men and women hold different socio-economic roles and responsibilities that are associated with different patterns of transport access, needs, and use. Yet, there is often not much-recorded evidence on the differences in gender travel needs between men and women, in urban areas in particular.”
Recognizing an urgent need to transform public transportation into a secure and empowering experience specifically for women, Ijeoma is pioneering a groundbreaking solution: a female-led mobility-on-demand platform. Her vision addresses mobility, gender-based violence (GBV), and economic inclusion.
A Story of Resilience and Hope
In October 2024, news of the tragic abduction and killing of Nimat after she boarded a taxi in Abuja exposed the deep-rooted failure of Nigeria’s public transport system to protect women. Nimat’s fate mirrors that of countless others, including one of Ijeoma’s colleagues, Ese, who survived a violent robbery in a taxi but remains scarred by the trauma. The stories of Nimat and Ese are not just tales of tragedy; they are stark reminders of the systemic failures that leave women vulnerable to violence, harassment, and exploitation in public transport.
“I am motivated by the harrowing realities faced by women like Nimat and Ese, and driven by my own lived experiences, to embark on a mission to ensure that no woman has to risk her life just to get to work, school, or home,” Obiedelu says of her groundbreaking venture, which was awarded the prestigious $10,000 RANA Prize, a recognition that underscores the urgent need for innovative solutions to address gender-based violence and economic inequality in Nigeria. The Ronny Adhikarya Niche Award (RANA) Prize, awarded by Cornell University’s Department of Global Development, signals hope and is a testament to her commitment to addressing this critical issue.
The prize aims to motivate promising students who demonstrate vision, interests, or experiences in pursuing a “niche” area(s) of study and professional career to explore unique, unusual, and not “more-of-the-same” competencies.
The RANA Prize: A Catalyst for Change
The prize money, dedicated to field research, is currently being used to gather data and refine her mobility-on-demand platform as Ijeoma pursues a master’s degree in Global Development at Cornell University in New York. Speaking exclusively to KAFTAN Post, Ijeoma mentioned a pilot program that aims to onboard 100 female drivers, provide comprehensive safety and technology training, and complete at least 10,000 rides within three months that are being planned for launch in Lagos and Abuja within the next few months.
“Collaboration and investment from individuals, organizations, and institutions who share the vision of a safer, more equitable world is much needed. The ultimate goal is to create a scalable model that can be replicated across Nigeria, empowering thousands of women,” says Ijeoma who admits that the RANA Prize is a significant milestone, yet the journey is far from over. Ijeoma’s venture, born out of a deep understanding of the challenges women face and fueled by a relentless passion for justice, offers a tangible solution to this urgent problem.
A call to action
Sustaining and expanding this gender-specific initiative will require Governments at the local, state, and federal levels to actively champion policies that prioritize women’s safety in public transport. Some key interventions include regulatory frameworks to enforce strict safety standards in ride-hailing services, investment in gender-sensitive infrastructure like well-lit transit hubs and secure waiting areas, and public-private partnerships to support and scale women entrepreneurs in transportation. Sustainable change hinges on policymakers recognizing that safe transportation is not a privilege—it is a fundamental right that underpins economic and social mobility.
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Contact Ijeoma Obiedelu at obiedeluijeoma@gmail.com
