Banky W becomes Uber ambassador

News of Banky W’s association with the taxi service was made public by the artist who shared the information on social media in an extended account.

“My driver is an awesome guy and I wanted him to be able to earn more than just his salary and tips, so I got a small car and we put it on Uber,” he wrote, “that way instead of him sitting around all day waiting for me while I’m in the studio, office, or on set, he can hit the road and generate income for us. Then we split it at the end of the month.

“It’s worked so well that I am now really hoping to continue to do this for more of the young people around me, as God gives me grace.”

The Banky-Uber endorsement has opened just after the artist announced the closure of the record label arm of his Empire Mates company. The company, which at one time had Wizkid, Skales, Niyola, Shaydee and Banky W himself on its roster, is now looking at other areas in the entertainment business.

“We are now a full-fledged media agency that focuses on creative marketing, advertising, PR, brand events/activations and a talent management firm,” Banky W announced at the end of February.

The new arrangement with Uber is the inaugural endorsement with any individual in Nigeria, as the company has operated without a face since its entry into the Nigerian market in 2014. The deal can be seen as profitable for the artist, given dwindling revenue from album sales due to piracy and an evolution of the music business in the era of the internet.

For its part, associating with a widely known face might be beneficial for Uber, which has proven successful enough to expand to Nigeria’s capital city Abuja two years after its establishment. “That was Uber’s 400th city around the world so it was quite a milestone for us,” said the company’s then general manager Ebi Atawodi.

“I’m so excited and honoured to be @ubernigeria‘s first Brand Ambassador,” Banky W wrote. “I genuinely love the service and I’ve been an avid rider for years – the convenience of it just made my life so much easier, home and abroad.

“I also love that it helps create employment for young people and I want to encourage more car owners, if they can, to use the service as a way to help more people around them and earn money on the side at the same time. And even if all you ever do is use an Uber as your designated driver when you’re out having drinks, it makes too much sense. You should just #BankOnUber.”

A short video announcing the deal has been posted online. It shows Banky W riding at the backseat of an Uber cab, where he is asked by the driver about the car’s air conditioning and its music. The popstar smiles and shrugs at the question.

“As long as it’s playing some good music," he says, "preferably some Banky W."