On-demand transportation platform, Taxify, has finalised plans to rebrand for efficiency and movement to Bolt. The update brings the brand identity in line with the company’s broader vision of transportation that has already expanded from ride-hailing, with cars and motorbikes, to scooter sharing.

Fielding questions from journalists on why the company chose to make the change, the CEO and co-founder, Bolt, Markus Villig, said Taxify, being the company’s first product was a taxi dispatch solution launched five years ago with a mission to make urban transportation more convenient and affordable.

“However, the company has evolved in leaps and bounds since its inception to now serve 25 million customers in over 30 countries globally, making it a leader in Europe and Africa,” Mr Villig said.

Uche Okafor, the company’s Regional Manager for West Africa, said the new name is for effortless movement around the city.

“Our new name ‘Bolt’ stands for fast, effortless movement – exactly what the experience of getting around in a city should be, be it by car, scooter or public transport. It also underscores our belief that the future of transportation will be electric”, he said.

The new brand, the company said, will be gradually rolled out across global markets over the following weeks and users will not need to take any action as the app will update automatically. We serve 25 million customers in over 30 countries globally, making it a leader in Europe and Africa,” Mr Villig said.

Uche Okafor, the company’s Regional Manager for West Africa, said the new name is for effortless movement around the city.

“Our new name ‘Bolt’ stands for fast, effortless movement – exactly what the experience of getting around in a city should be, be it by car, scooter or public transport. It also underscores our belief that the future of transportation will be electric”, he said.

“While we’ve made progress on our mission, we’ve also started to outgrow parts of our brand, including the name. Given our ambition to solve transportation problems on an increasingly broader scale, we want the brand to reflect the company’s future rather than the past. Our new identity also underscores our belief that the future of transportation will be electric”, Okafor explained.

The new brand, the company said, will be gradually rolled out across global markets over the following weeks and users will not need to take any action as the app will update automatically.