Uber has decided to make the cash payment option it piloted for two months in Kenya a permanent feature following the embracement of the option Nairobi residents.
Uber said after a successful two-month pilot, the option brought a five-fold growth in sign-ups and referrals. This development makes Nairobi the only African city – and the second city in the world where Uber is accepting cash payments after the city of Hyderabad, India. FYI, Uber is in over 300 cities including Lagos and Johannesburg.
Speaking on this development, Uber Sub Saharan Africa General Manager, Alon Lits, said the company has decided to adapt its technology to meet the needs of local consumers.
“We received very positive feedback from our riders during the pilot. We have tripled our growth since then and the drivers using the Uber platform are taking more trips so taking more money home too. We have listened to this to and now we want everyone to enjoy the hassle-free convenience of ordering a safe ride at the push of a button,” Lits said.
The company revealed that Nairobi is now one of the fastest growing cities internationally for Uber following the launch of the cash test pilot. The number of partner-drivers has doubled over the last two months to cope with the growth in demand.
“The interest in Uber in Nairobi has been amazing. Nairobi is one of the most innovative cities on the continent and cash payment is one of the innovations we have made for the Nairobi market. We are excited to be extending this cash payment option to all Uber riders in the city as we give more people access to one of the safest and most reliable transportation options,” Lits added.
This development simply means that riders now have access to all the current Uber features but can simply choose the cash payment option, take a ride and pay their driver directly in cash at the end of the trip.
