How Nigerian Law student turned side hustle into a multi-million naira car rental business

Chinazom Arinze, while studying law at Babcock University in Nigeria, launched AutoGirl, a car rental platform. Initially a side hustle in 2019, AutoGirl has grown into a thriving business that connects vehicle owners with renters across Nigeria. “I was just doing it for fun,” Arinze said in an interview with CNN, “but it grew larger than I expected. Soon, I had consistent customers.”

Starting without capital, Arinze, now 26 years old, relied on her network from a part-time job at a car dealership and social media connections. “I had no money to invest, but I leveraged my relationships,” she said.

From Side Hustle to Full-Time Enterprise

As demand for her service grew, Arinze found herself managing every aspect of the business. “For years, I was the secretary, social media manager, everything,” she admits. “I worked around the clock.” Eventually, she hired staff, including a social media manager, admin personnel, and a 24/7 operations team.

With over 3,000 customers and more than 12,000 rides completed, AutoGirl has expanded beyond car rentals. The platform now offers boat and private jet rentals. In June, AutoGirl entered the Ghanaian market, with plans to expand to Benin later this year.

Empowering Women in a Male-Dominated Industry

Working in a male-dominated field, Arinze faced her share of challenges. To prove her expertise, she took auto mechanics classes and shared car reviews on social media. “People thought I was just a clueless young girl,” she says, “but once they saw I had knowledge, they took me seriously.”

Determined to pave the way for other women, Arinze launched the AutoGirl Women Empowerment Programme. The initiative offers free classes in driving, mechanics, and affiliate marketing, with plans to train 60 women by November. “I want to show other women they can succeed in this industry too,” Arinze says.

Aiming for Global Expansion

Arinze has big future plans for AutoGirl. “We want to be the Airbnb of vehicle rentals in Africa and eventually the world,” she explains. Her vision is to provide more flexibility and variety than traditional car rentals, similar to how Airbnb disrupted the hotel industry.

Read more on: Jubril Arogundade: Buying new Nigerian-made cars boosts the economy, cuts carbon emissions by 50%