Uber has announced a range of new products and updates focused on travel, safety, and delivery across Sub-Saharan Africa, including Ghana.
To help reduce costs for riders and increase demand for drivers, Uber has announced the rollout of two new products including UberX Share in the country which product will allow riders to save up to 30 percent when matched with a co-rider heading in a similar direction.
The second one, Uber Comfort is designed to give riders more trip customisation options and an enhanced on-trip experience, while allowing drivers an additional income-generating opportunity. Uber Comfort is also available in South Africa and Ivory Coast.
Head of Ghana and Ivory Coast, Marjorie Saint-Lot said “Ghana is a key market for Uber in Sub-Saharan Africa. As we grow, we are committed to rolling out a suite of products that demonstrate our understanding of the local market. As we expand and launch new products, drivers will have access to more earning opportunities, and riders to reliable and convenient modes of transportation.”
She added that her outfit will continue to leverage technology and innovation to improve and satisfy the need of drivers and its clientele.
She disclosed that Uber will soon expand to other parts of the country particularly, Tamale and Sunyani, making it available in six cities in Ghana and 18 cities across West Africa.
These expansions according to her signal more access to earning opportunities for drivers and affordable, convenient, and reliable mobility solutions for riders.
“Our aspiration is to move more people and goods to more cities, innovate new features and products, raise the bar on safety, explore categories beyond the food category and grow earnings opportunities.” General Manager for Uber Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), Kagiso Khaole also noted.
Safety
As ridesharing becomes a way of life for more people, Ms. Marjorie Saint-Lot noted that Uber will continue raising the bar on safety and that it has a range of features that take advantage of the latest smartphone technology to ensure that riders and drivers feel safe.
She also assured of ensuring safety of all vehicles that will hit the road in line with the new products.
“Based on research, most riders seem to be unaware of the safety features available to them. As a result, Uber is launching Safety Check-up across SSA which will encourage riders to complete their safety profile by turning on and utilising the available features such as Trusted Contacts, PIN verification, and RideCheck.”
Ms. Marjorie Saint-Lot called on respective authorities including other ride-hailing apps to work together toward ensuring safety and improving working conditions for driver.
