Tech in Africa
As part of the drastic yet necessary measures governments are adopting globally due to the pandemic, Uganda has shifted its focus to the motorcycle sector. The country plans to digitize all its motorcycle taxis popularly known as ‘bodabodas.’ This means every bike has to register under companies such as Bolt, Safe Boda, and Uber.
Erias Lukwago, Kampala’s mayor announced that implementation should begin three weeks after the lockdown gets lifted. Until all riders are registered, they won’t be able to operate past 7 p.m in the evenings. The current proposals are currently awaiting cabinet approval.
At the moment, Uganda has a significant portion of its transport sector under digital taxis. Safeboda is one of the leading companies that connect customers to bodabodas while offering additional services. If the approval gets approved, Safeboda will be very influential in the Ugandan transport industry given it has the lion’s share of the bodaboda market.
Africa has a vibrant 2-wheeler market, valued 9 billion dollars according to Techsciresearch. The top countries are Nigeria, South Africa, and Tanzania. Kenya, Ethiopia, and Uganda are not far behind alongside other countries in North Africa.
At the moment Bolt and Uber are offering two-wheeler options for their African customers an indication that this is a transport segment that cannot be overlooked.
