Rivers women receive share of 3700 tricycles to begin ‘’Queen Riders’ scheme

Rivers State women have begun accessing the 3,700 national tricycle scheme which empowers women riders to own, operate, and pay back.

It allocated at least 100 pieces and the Rivers State wing was flagged off Wednesday, June 25, 2025, at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium in the Elekahia area of Port Harcourt.

The scheme is anchored by the Nigerian Consumer Credit Corporation (CREDICORP), with Gamma Mobility, to boost access to credit-backed vehicle purchases.

This rollout is under CREDICORP’s S.C.A.L.E. program (Securing Consumer Access for Local Enterprises) which is aid to link everyday consumers to Nigeria’s manufacturing backbone.

According to officials who attended the launch in Port Harcourt, CREDICORP is channeling credit-backed women toward purchase of locally assembled tricycles from Simba TVS, which produces 1,170 tricycles and motorbikes daily in Nigeria.

Uzoma Nwagba, Managing Director of Credit-Corp, said the scheme is more than just mobility but a strategy for economic inclusion—putting working tools in the hands of women who are too often locked out of high-opportunity sectors like urban transportation.

With partner financial institutions such as Accion Microfinance Bank, CREDICORP is said to scale access to productive assets that improve household incomes, stimulate local manufacturing, and unlock the economic power of Nigerian women.

“These tricycles aren’t just vehicles,” said Nwagba, who said they represent ownership, autonomy, and agency for women—delivered through structured, affordable credit and made in Nigeria.

He said: “We’re solving for household dignity and industrial growth at the same time.”

The CEO who said his firm was motivated by the business philosophy Bola Ahmed Tinubu even far before he became President made it clear that credit-based financial system powers any economy.

He said cash-and-carry system was never healthy for any economy. He added that the firm has recorded over 100,000 beneficiaries so far including other items such as solar, laptops, phones, etc.

He said it was not proper that income earners would have to wait for full cash to access any commodity within their income range. He said they were expanding the credit scheme.

By driving up demand for domestically assembled vehicles, the programme is said to support Nigeria’s broader industrial policy goals—ensuring that every loan taken strengthens a local factory and feeds a local family.

The Queen Rider initiative is said to be part of CREDICORP’s wider effort to enable half of Nigeria’s working population by 2030 with consumer credit tools that directly enhance quality of life—whether through vehicle ownership, clean energy adoption, or youth enterprise.

Organisers said other programmes like YouthCRED (for young people and NYSC members) and C.A.L.M (for solar and CNG access) reflect this same philosophy. CREDICORP is said to work closely with financial institutions and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

In his welcome remarks, Sam Esiri, Co-founder, Gamma Mobility, said the scheme was more focused on unlocking opportunities for women to motor ownership scheme, saying it is about ‘women riding forward’.

The beneficiaries showed high excitement and enthusiasm and promised to deliver daily retains as expected. Eucharia Enyindah said those that got the opportunity see it as prayer-answered, adding that they are determined to make the scheme successful.