Ride-hailing giant Uber has officially partnered with Flutterwave, a leading African payments technology company, to roll out its digital wallet feature, Uber Cash, across Sub-Saharan Africa. This strategic collaboration aims to provide Uber riders with a more seamless and flexible way to manage their ride payments, allowing them to top up their Uber wallet using Flutterwave’s extensive network of remittance partners throughout the region.

The launch of Uber Cash comes at a crucial time as ride-hailing services in Sub-Saharan Africa begin to recover from the significant decline in rider volume and revenue caused by the recent pandemic. The health crisis had led to temporary operational shutdowns for Uber in several countries, including Uganda and Nigeria, highlighting the need for robust and adaptable payment solutions. The new digital wallet feature is scheduled to become live within the next two weeks in Uber’s primary markets within Sub-Saharan Africa: Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, and Ghana.

With the introduction of Uber Cash, customers gain a new and more convenient method to add funds to their wallets for upcoming rides. The available top-up methods are tailored to specific countries to best serve local needs. Alon Lits, Uber’s General Manager for Sub-Saharan Africa, confirmed that riders in Nigeria can utilize their Verve Card or mobile money options. In Kenya, customers will have the choice of using M-Pesa or Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT), while South African users can top up via EFT. Furthermore, Uber customers across the continent can also leverage Flutterwave’s Barter payment app, which was previously launched in partnership with Visa, providing a broad and accessible top-up channel.

A key objective behind the deployment of Uber Cash is to reduce the prevalence of cash payments in Africa. Unlike many of Uber’s other major global markets, the African region has historically relied heavily on cash transactions due to a significant unbanked population. However, in recent years, considerable advancements have been made in driving financial inclusion through the widespread adoption of mobile money services and increased public awareness. By introducing Uber Cash, Uber seeks to capitalize on these trends, encouraging a gradual shift from cash to digital payments. This transition is expected not only to enhance user convenience but also to potentially boost Uber’s revenue by increasing the volume of funds and transactions processed through the digital wallet, thereby reducing friction in the overall ride payment process.