The future of transportation is one of the key things that the fourth industrial revolution is shaping. As cities continue to get drowned in traffic jam, technology, and several other innovations are being summoned to come to their rescue.
From scooters to ride-hailing to autonomous vehicles to digging tunnels to flying taxis, everything is being given a chance. So far, ride-hailing is proving to work given the rate at which it has scaled.
With a population of at least 150 million, East Africa (Rwanda, Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda) is proving to be an appealing market for ride-hailing products. For example, in less than 5 years, at least 8 ride-hailing companies have launched in the region.
Here is a look at each and their current level of coverage in the region.
Taxify
The Estonian ride-hailing company opened its first East African office in Nairobi in May 2016. This was after setting up its operations in South Africa as its first market on the continent. Yet, Taxify was the second in the Kenyan market after Uber and Mondo.
It followed up its Kenyan launch with a rapid expansion into Kampala and Dar es Salaam in October and December 2017, respectively. Currently, the company has operations in only three East African countries.
Also read: Uganda’s SafeBoda no longer Safe, Taxify going after it.
Taxify, which counts Chinese Didi Chixung and Daimler among its investors, has not yet given a clear overview of its statistics about the number of drivers, riders or amount of trips taken. Metrics that have been popularized by Uber.
Mondo Ride
Founded in Dubai but headquartered in Nairobi, Mondo has been in existence for a little over 2 years. The ride-hailing company launched its cab business in Nairobi in mid-2016. Afterward, it launched a motorcycle hailing service towards the end of the same year.
To date, Mondo has raised at least $5 million in funding. $2 million of this came in early this year with the aim of expanding into 6 cities - Kampala and Dar es Salaam included. The company thus currently has operations in Dar es Salaam, Kampala, and Nairobi.
Little
Launched at the beginning of 2016 in Nairobi, Little - backed by Safaricom - has steadily grown to become another fierce Uber competitor in East Africa. The company expanded to Kampala in April this year.
This, they followed with the sale of 10% stake to an "unnamed Indian investor for $3 million" in June this year with an aim to expand into more cities. Currently, there is a plan to expand into Kigali.
Uber
Uber officially launched in Nairobi in June 2015, following launches in South Africa, Nigeria, and Egypt. Having undergone primary tests within the city, the Nairobi launch was also the initiation of cash payments for Uber Africa.
A year later, the company followed up its Kenya launch with a launch in two other markets of Kampala and Dar es Salaam. Both in June 2016.
Also read: Uber and Little are looking to launch operations in Rwanda
There have been reports of the company withdrawing from the African market, though it has largely denied them. In fact, last week, there were reports of the company entering the Rwandan market.
SafeBoda
The Uganda-headquartered startup was founded in late 2014. SafeBoda is the pioneer of boda-boda ride-hailing in East Africa. Until early this year, the startup was only operational in Kampala.
But, thanks to a $1.1 million investment that they received earlier this year, SafeBoda recently expanded to Nairobi. Making it their second market. I don't think they are likely to consider Kigali (in the near future)) given it already has incumbents like SafeMotos and YegoMotos. Instead, they might be looking at Nigeria and other markets.
SafeBoda has come under tough competition in Uganda with both Uber and Taxify cloning and each launching a similar boda hailing service earlier this year.
SafeMotos and YegoMotos
Like SafeBoda, SafeMotos has grown to become the anecdote market leader in Rwanda's boda-boda hailing scene. Founded in 2014 by Barrett Nash and Peter Kariuki, the startup is only operational in Rwanda.
Similarly, YegoMoto, a product of Yego Innovision Ltd, is a boda-boda hailing startup with operations only in Rwanda. Though, according to the Head of Transport at Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Agency, Eng. Emmanuel Asaba, Yego was given a license to venture into cabs with Yego Cab.
Others
Beyond the above, there are some operators who are either largely in one city or across borders but on a much smaller scale compared to the above.
This includes AfriTaxi which was formerly called 250Taxi. It was launched in Kigali, in February 2016 by Afshon Wallace Ngige and later that year expanded into the Zimbabwean market with the launch of 263 Taxi. Zip Taxi is another player in the space in Rwanda.
While Twende in Tanzania was launched in February last year by Tigo, the country's leading telecom company together with Justin Kashaigili. Early this year, Dial Jack also launched in Kampala to rival SafeBoda in the boda-boda hailing space.
In Nairobi, Ekorent Africa launched Nopia ride earlier this month with the selling point of environmentally friendly vehicles.