Ugandan online bike taxi hailer expands into food delivery

February 20, 2020 in Business, Companies, Technology & Telecoms, Transport by Editor

The company says with increased digitization and adoption of smartphones, SafeBoda is constantly rethinking how consumers are going to live in a digital economy.

Online transport operator, SafeBoda, has added food delivery to its services in keeping with growing demand especially in Kampala. The popular motorcycle taxis are already a normal feature of city transport notable for providing convenience and speed for people in a hurry.

‘We are excited to bring local food delivery to Kampalans and to support our local vendors to scale their businesses using the SafeBoda app. Additionally, our SafeBoda drivers are able to increase not only their productivity, but also their earnings through the app,” Brenda Nambatya, Head of Food at SafeBoda said early this week.

SafeBoda was founded in 2015 to bring innovation and community to the rapidly growing motorcycle taxi industry in Africa. At the click of a button, SafeBoda says it provides a safe, convenient, mobile-first urban transportation solution for Africa’s booming young population. Founded in Kyebando, Kampala, SafeBoda has built a community of over 15,000 branded, equipped and trained boda drivers.

Customers can now order traditional and street food using the SafeBoda app adds to other services including sending packages and buying airtime across all networks.

Nicholas Kamanzi, the Payments Head at SafeBoda said, ‘With the addition of the food feature, our customers will not only have easy access to local and street food, but will also be able to pay for their meals in the app quickly and easily using their cashless wallet. Delivery is free for all cashless orders.”

The company claims local food ordering using the SafeBoda app is an experience changer for customers. Convenience and affordability are unmatched and customers can enjoy their favorite home-cooked meals and street food; from the legendary Rolex to a meal of hot matooke and kinyebwa from wherever they are, at the click of a button.

‘We feel that Kampalans value good food but with busy lifestyles and schedules, they may not always have easy access – which is exactly what we strive to give them. Customers can now order from a wide range of local food options with prices as low as UGX4,000 (about $1) for a buffet meal and for as low as UGX2,500 for street food,” Nambatya said.

SafeBoda’s wallet function allows customers to go cashless by topping up with a SafeBoda or using Mobile Money. Kamanzi said, ‘The SafeBoda cashless product will be at the centre of the customer’s lifestyle, to power their earnings, savings, and spending.”