🗺️ Stakeholder Map CATS_P
Mobile Mechanic Ecosystem Along Abuja Transit Corridors
Caretakers
Those keeping informal systems running
Roadside Mechanic Workshop Owners
- Operate along major highways (Zuba, Airport Road, Kubwa-Zuba Expressway)
- Employ 2-5 mechanics each
- Provide informal training to apprentices
- Maintain tools and equipment
- Know regular customers by face and vehicle
Mechanic Union/Association Leaders
- Represent mechanics in disputes
- Set informal price guidelines
- Organize skill-sharing sessions
- Provide some quality control
- Act as community trust anchors
Local Community Members
- Refer trusted mechanics by word of mouth
- Sometimes mediate payment disputes
- Provide temporary shelter/water to stranded drivers
- Alert mechanics to breakdowns they witness
Stakeholders
Institutions and formal actors
Transport Companies & Logistics Firms
- Heavy vehicle users (buses, trucks, delivery vans)
- Need reliable, fast repair services
- Currently maintain expensive in-house mechanics
- Would benefit from verified external network
Vehicle Insurance Companies
- Process breakdown and towing claims
- Could integrate verified mechanics into coverage
- Reduce fraudulent claims through digital records
- Lower costs by enabling roadside fixes vs. towing
Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC)
- Responsible for road safety and accident prevention
- Could partner to reduce breakdown-related hazards
- Interest in reducing stranded vehicle incidents
- Potential to verify and regulate mechanic standards
State Motor Vehicle Administration
- Issues mechanic certifications (informal and formal)
- Could provide official verification layer
- Interest in professionalizing informal sector
Mobile Network Operators
- Provide connectivity infrastructure
- Could partner for USSD/SMS booking (low-data option)
- Benefit from increased data usage
Emerging Leaders
New actors driving change
Young, Tech-Savvy Mechanics
- Early adopters of smartphone tools
- Frustrated by lack of digital visibility
- Eager to build online reputation
- Willing to embrace new booking systems
Ride-Hailing & Delivery Drivers
- Frequent road users at high breakdown risk
- Already comfortable with app-based services
- Could become early adopter user base
- Spread word within driver communities
University Engineering Students
- Potential skill verifiers/trainers
- Could help assess mechanic competence
- Interest in practical application of knowledge
- Future mechanic workforce
Local Tech Entrepreneurs
- Building complementary solutions (e.g., auto parts delivery)
- Potential integration partners
- Could provide investment or mentorship
Affected Groups
Those directly impacted by the problem
Primary Affected Groups
Commuters & Travelers
- Experience frequent breakdowns on poorly maintained roads
- Face safety risks when stranded
- Pay “trust tax” to avoid unknown mechanics
- Lose hours waiting for distant, known mechanics
Rural Business Owners
- Depend on vehicles for deliveries and operations
- Cannot afford extended downtime
- Struggle to find reliable repair services quickly
- Incur high costs from delayed operations
Female Drivers
- Face additional safety concerns when stranded
- More vulnerable to exploitation or harassment
- Less likely to have mechanic contacts
- Higher anxiety about breakdown situations
Secondary Affected Groups
Skilled Roadside Mechanics
- Have expertise but no digital presence
- Lose customers to city-based mechanics
- Cannot prove credentials or build reputation
- Earn less than potential due to low visibility
Mechanic Apprentices
- Learning trade but no path to recognition
- Cannot attract own customer base easily
- Dependent on master mechanic’s network
- Limited income growth opportunities
Auto Parts Vendors
- Lose business when mechanics can’t find customers
- Could benefit from integrated parts ordering
- Currently rely on informal network connections
Power Dynamics
Who Has Physical Presence:
Roadside mechanics—they’re already positioned where breakdowns happen
Who Has Trust Capital:
City-based mechanics with established reputations and customer relationships
Who Has the Demand:
Drivers, commuters, businesses—they need services but don’t know where to find verified providers
Who Gets Left Out:
Skilled roadside mechanics with no digital visibility and vulnerable drivers who can’t verify services
Who Can Bridge the Gap:
Road_mech platform—creating the trust layer that connects existing supply with existing demand
Solution Positioning
Road_mech creates value for all stakeholders:
- Drivers: Get verified, fast service without “trust tax”
- Roadside Mechanics: Gain customers, credibility, and income
- Transport Companies: Access reliable repair network
- Insurance: Reduce fraud, lower costs
- FRSC: Improve road safety
- Community: Economic development and safer roads