New online transport platform Afri Ride has upped the ante on ridesharing across the continent through the launch of a transport ecosystem tailor-made for Africa’s fast-growing travelling community and congested cities
Safety, convenience, reduction of carbon emissions, employment creation and the challenge of mobility for Africa’s rapid urbanisation were several factors considered in the app’s design, said Afri Ride founder and managing director Joe Moyo.
“Car owners have the opportunity to make an extra income and will benefit by having their car and fuel expenses covered, while riders won’t have the large capital outlay involved when buying their own vehicle,” he added.
According to Afri Ride, Africa’s largest cities Cairo, Lagos and Johannesburg were some of the most congested on the continent with the Kenyan capital Nairobi, reputed to be the second most congested city in the world. Needless to say, such congestion has socio-economic costs with the rate of accidents ranking among some of the highest.
Moyo said Afri Ride comes as a ready-made solution. Ridesharing in Africa also eliminates several of the major transportation hurdles faced by individuals in densely populated towns and cities.
“Africa’s people are tech-savvy, and most of them own a smartphone, however, the vast majority do not own their own transportation. And even those who do, battle with poor road infrastructure and extreme overcrowding, as the road networks were never designed to support the number of vehicles that now use them.
“Ridesharing would alleviate the burden that infrastructure is currently having to deal with, and will enable people to navigate cities more easily, and look for work in areas that were previously inaccessible to them,” added Moyo.
The United Nations said African urbanisation, with an annual average growth rate of 27 per cent over the past six decades, is set to reach 60 per cent by 2050, creating more headaches for planners and politicians alike.
But in it, Moyo also sees opportunities. “Urbanisation is happening, and within the next decade or so will reach a tipping point where most citizens live in cities instead of rural areas.
“Ridesharing is fast becoming the norm across the continent. It highlights just how tech-savvy and eager to consume digital services Africa’s citizens are, and how they are hungry for improved and efficient solutions. At Afri Ride, we take the time to know each region in which we operate extremely well, to ensure that citizens can reap not only the benefits but the economic gains too,” Moyo concluded.
