CREDICORP has taken another major step in advancing gender-inclusive transport and economic empowerment in Nigeria. On June 25, 2025, in Port Harcourt, the corporation officially announced the nationwide expansion of its flagship Queen Riders programme under the S.C.A.L.E initiative granting access to tricycles for 3,700 women through affordable and structured credit arrangements.
The tricycles, locally assembled in Nigeria by Simba TVS, are designed not only for ease of mobility but also to enable women to participate actively in the growing informal transport economy. Addressing the audience at the event, a CREDICORP representative underscored the significance of the intervention: “These tricycles symbolise more than just transport, they represent autonomy, ownership, and economic opportunity for women.”
This latest expansion is the result of a strategic partnership between CREDICORP, Gamma Mobility, Accion Microfinance Bank, and the determined women who form the backbone of the initiative. Together, these actors are unlocking access to finance, promoting industrial productivity, and positioning women as essential contributors to Nigeria’s mobility sector.
By providing female entrepreneurs with locally manufactured vehicles through a credit model that is both accessible and sustainable, the programme addresses several structural barriers at once: limited access to affordable transport assets, financial exclusion, and underrepresentation of women in the transport business.
Beyond mobility, the Queen Riders initiative has become a model for inclusive enterprise development. It encourages women to own their means of livelihood, reduces their dependence on middlemen, and increases their visibility in local commerce. Many beneficiaries, particularly in peri-urban and rural communities, are expected to use the tricycles to run daily shuttle services, transport agricultural goods, or deliver items across informal markets—contributing to both household incomes and local economic activity.
The initiative also highlights the importance of local manufacturing and value chain integration. By sourcing tricycles from Simba TVS, the programme boosts demand for made-in-Nigeria vehicles, strengthens linkages between MSMEs in the transport and manufacturing sectors, and supports job creation in vehicle assembly and after-sales services.
CREDICORP’s broader S.C.A.L.E initiative—short for Stimulating Credit Access and Livelihood Empowerment has consistently focused on linking credit to productivity in critical sectors. With Queen Riders as a leading example, the organisation is showing that inclusive finance can be a catalyst for industrial growth, social change, and gender equity.
As part of the next phase, the corporation is expected to provide beneficiaries with basic business training and technical support in vehicle management and safety. This, according to programme partners, will enhance sustainability, reduce dropout rates, and strengthen the long-term impact of the initiative.
With this new expansion, CREDICORP is setting a compelling example of how to build a mobility ecosystem that works for women and in doing so, paving the way for a more inclusive, locally driven development model.
