Metro Africa Xpress

Metro Africa Xpress Inc., which operates as MAX (maxdrive.ai, formerly styled Max.ng), is a Nigerian mobility technology company founded in 2015 by Adetayo Bamiduro and Chinedu Azodoh and headquartered in Lagos. The company began by using technology to route last-mile delivery and ride-hailing work to independent commercial drivers, then expanded into vehicle financing after concluding that most drivers did not own the vehicles they operated and that the large majority were excluded from formal financial services. Vehicle finance, delivered as lease-to-own agreements and supported by commercial bank partners that use MAX's data in credit risk assessment, became the core of the business.

MAX has since built what it describes as an integrated electric mobility ecosystem spanning vehicle design and local assembly, battery systems, charging and battery-swapping infrastructure, IoT and fleet management technology, payments and financing. It runs an electric vehicle assembly plant in Ibadan, Nigeria with a stated capacity of 3,600 vehicles per month and works with OEMs including Yamaha, Hero and Spiro, adapting vehicles to local road and climate conditions. Its product lines, as listed on its business profile, include a drivers platform, a transport marketplace, enterprise services, electric vehicles, mobility RegTech and advertising.

As of January 2026, MAX reported having deployed more than $56 million in fleet financing and repaid $44 million, described itself as profitable in Nigeria, and set targets of supporting up to 250,000 drivers and exceeding $150 million in annual recurring revenue by 2027.

Founding story

MAX was started in 2015 by business partners Adetayo Bamiduro and Chinedu Azodoh with the stated aim of transforming how Africa moves by empowering independent commercial drivers. The first products used technology to give drivers predictable access to last-mile delivery and ride-hailing work. Through that work the founders found that limited access to vehicle finance was the binding constraint — company data indicated 96% of drivers were excluded from the formal financial system and relied on unsafe, inefficient vehicles — which led to the vehicle finance product that became the core business.

Business model

MAX operates a technology platform that connects commercial drivers with vehicles, financing and supporting services rather than employing drivers directly; its terms of service describe the platform as a means for users to arrange transportation and logistics services with independent third-party providers. Vehicle finance, structured as lease-to-own agreements, forms the core of the business, supplemented by value-added services including health and vehicle insurance, roadside assistance and licensing support. As of 2026 the model centers on asset-backed financing of electric two- and three-wheelers for commercial drivers, combined with data-driven fleet optimization and, per the company, disciplined cost management.

Revenue is generated from vehicle financing and subscription arrangements with commercial drivers — lease-to-own vehicle finance and EV and battery subscription — alongside value-added services such as insurance, roadside assistance and licensing support, enterprise services and advertising. The company targets more than $150 million in annual recurring revenue by 2027.

Traction

By May 2022 MAX had disbursed over $5 million in lease-to-own vehicle finance to more than 7,000 drivers, and said total equity and debt financing raised stood at $70 million. By January 2026 the company reported deploying more than $56 million in fleet financing with $44 million repaid, profitability in its Nigerian market, and an Ibadan assembly plant with capacity of 3,600 vehicles per month; it targets support for up to 250,000 drivers and over $150 million in annual recurring revenue by 2027.

Latest developments

In January 2026 MAX announced $24 million in combined equity and debt financing, with equity from Equitane DMCC, Novastar Ventures, Endeavor Catalyst and other global investors and asset-backed debt from the Energy Entrepreneurs Growth Fund managed by Triple Jump alongside additional development finance partners. The proceeds are earmarked for expanding the EV fleet, rolling out solar-powered battery-swapping stations, enhancing proprietary IoT and fleet management systems, and expanding across West and Central Africa beyond Nigeria. The company reported profitability in Nigeria following a 2024 pivot out of underperforming business lines.