Nigerian AI Platform Simplifies Car Repairs

An artificial intelligence-powered car repair platform developed in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, has helped drivers understand vehicle problems, find mechanics and keep records of repairs.

For many drivers across Africa, a broken-down car can mean more than an unexpected repair bill. Finding a trustworthy mechanic, identifying the fault and knowing whether a repair has worked can be difficult.

In Port Harcourt, car owner Cyril Okonkwo is turning to technology for help. One morning, his car refused to start while he was preparing to attend an event. Running late, he stood outside his gate in Rumuigbo, wondering which mechanic he could reach in time.

Okonkwo depends on his car for his daily commute, church services and occasional trips to his village in Anambra State. When it breaks down, his weekly plans are often disrupted.

Previously, he would walk around looking for a mechanic, only to find that the technician was unavailable or too busy to help. On another occasion, his car horn stopped working. A mechanic spent hours checking the battery and searching beneath the carpeting before discovering that a faulty fuse was the problem.

“When they come, they look at you, look at your car before telling you the price for the repairs. And sometimes it could just be a minor issue,” Okonkwo said. “Sometimes what they do is that they do guesswork when the issue is very difficult.”

A conversation with a colleague introduced him to Drivva, an AI-powered vehicle repair platform developed in Port Harcourt.

“So I called a colleague to come and pick me up so we can go together. That was when he mentioned it, that do I know that I could have also called, as well as searched online? I said, how? He introduced me to the app,” Okonkwo recalled. “When I came back, I decided to give DRIVVA a try.”

Co-founded by Ndubuisi Chidomere and Precious Anyalewechi, Drivva allows car owners to describe vehicle problems in everyday language and receive possible explanations. Users can also keep digital repair records and connect with mechanics and towing services.

The platform aims to help drivers understand what may be wrong with their vehicles before a mechanic arrives. However, its AI guidance is not a substitute for professional diagnosis or repairs.

Nigeria’s large used-car market has created strong demand for vehicle maintenance services. Many car owners buy second-hand vehicles and have little access to manufacturer-backed service plans. The country’s automobile repair and spare-parts market is estimated to be worth about $8 billion annually. Car owners reportedly spend an average of $650 a year on maintenance.

However, access to modern diagnostic tools remains limited. A 2021 study of mechanic workplaces in Lagos, Ibadan and Ilaro found that only 18 per cent of mechanics had heard of or understood how to use diagnostic technology for modern vehicles.

Poor vehicle maintenance can also have serious safety consequences. According to Nigeria’s National Bureau of Statistics, tyre bursts were associated with 2,328 road crashes between 2020 and 2022, while mechanical defects were linked to another 1,194 crashes. Drivva’s founders believe better access to vehicle information could help address some of these challenges.

The idea grew from Chidomere’s experience as a mechanic and car owner. Before establishing Pamtech Auto Land in Owerri, he struggled to find reliable repair shops and sometimes had to travel to neighbouring states to fix his car.

He later built a more structured repair business and explored how technology could make vehicle maintenance easier for other drivers. Chidomere met Anyalewechi at a humanitarian event where the mechanic distributed personal development books to young people. Anyalewechi, who was working with the Imo State administration at the time, said Chidomere’s ambition stood out.

“We saw somebody who had strong passion for humanity, and we saw how he wanted to connect everything he was doing down to solving problems for Africa,” Anyalewechi said.

Their discussions revealed another challenge: vehicle repair information is often scattered or lost. A car owner may pay for a repair without knowing exactly what the mechanic changed. If the vehicle develops another problem months later, the next mechanic may have no record of the previous work.

“We saw that vehicle information was fragmented in Africa and in Nigeria. Like everybody, you can fix your car today and you don’t even know what was changed on that car. Three months later your car is back. You cannot refer to your service history. You cannot also refer to your maintenance record,” Anyalewechi said.

Drivva seeks to address this problem by creating digital service records. The platform says it verifies mechanics before listing them and allows users to review ratings and service histories before booking. However, the company does not employ the listed mechanics or guarantee their work, according to its terms.

Anyalewechi said choosing a reliable mechanic is important because poor repairs can put lives at risk.

“The person who fixed your car also has access to your life and your safety at large. Because imagine, let’s put this scenario. Imagine you want to fix your car with a quack mechanic, and then he or she forgets to tie the nuts on your tires, and you start driving. Imagine what would happen,” he said.

Through the platform, drivers can request help from nearby mechanics, who receive notifications about the job. Users can also request towing services.

“If I’m stuck currently with Drivva, I can simply go request a mechanic, and the mechanics that are very close to that location will get a notification and they come to help me. It’s more like an Uber infrastructure, but for mechanics and for car owners,” Anyalewechi said.

Franklin Akwuobi Ikemefuna, a COREN-registered engineer who trains aspiring mechanics at his automotive engineering school in Port Harcourt, said repair records could improve diagnosis and reduce unnecessary costs. He compared vehicle diagnosis to medical care. A doctor can use a patient’s medical history to understand a condition instead of starting from scratch.

Without a vehicle’s service history, mechanics may rely heavily on memory and past experience. For example, a mechanic who once fixed an engine misfire by replacing spark plugs may try the same solution again, even though the fault could have several causes.

“If you have a maintenance record, it helps you when you change mechanics. He will know where you stopped, where to start from, helps fast diagnosis of the vehicle. It’s going to help save you costs as a user,” Ikemefuna said.

He added that modern diagnostic scanners can help identify faults, but many roadside mechanics lack the training or equipment to use them effectively.

Ikemefuna believes AI could support both mechanics and car owners, although its usefulness depends on the accuracy of the information provided.

“What you give to AI is what it gives to you,” he said.

He warned that problems that are difficult to describe, such as unusual noises or suspension faults, may produce uncertain results.

“Using data to find a fault before it fails means you are having a preventive maintenance, and working on it when it has failed means you are doing reactive maintenance,” he said.

Drivva uses Google’s Gemini AI model to guide users through a series of questions about their vehicles and the faults they report. The tool then suggests possible causes and next steps.

For example, a driver reporting an overheating engine may be asked to provide the car’s model and other details before receiving suggestions. Anyalewechi said the aim is to help users understand a problem before dealing with a mechanic.

“So nobody is coming to tell you something now to do in order to extort money from you,” he said.

The platform’s terms describe its AI responses as informational guidance, rather than a professional diagnosis. Ikemefuna said wider adoption of AI in vehicle maintenance would require training for mechanics, particularly as electric vehicles and newer automotive technologies become more common in Nigeria.

“Let the engineers get involved in this field. Let’s train those who are involved. Tell them how to use AI tools, assistants tools to narrow down this job,” he said.

Okonkwo’s experience with Drivva has shown both the platform’s potential and its limits. He asked the app why his 2003 Toyota Camry needed its air-conditioning gas refilled only a few months after a refill in April. The tool advised him to have the system checked, noting that gas running out so quickly could indicate a leak.

He also reported that the car shook while moving, but the AI could not identify the cause. The platform recorded the complaints and helped arrange an inspection at Pamtech’s workshop in Port Harcourt. A mechanic checked the car and took it for a road test.

For Okonkwo, the platform has made the repair process less of a guessing game by giving him information before a mechanic examines the vehicle. However, the mechanic remains responsible for checking the faults and carrying out the repairs. Anyalewechi said the broader goal is to make vehicle information accessible throughout the life of a car.

“We are building the digital identity for every car owner in Nigeria and for every car,” he said.

Credit: Chioma Ezenwafor by Bird story agency.