With the recent launch of Uber in Kampala, the expectation was that the online Taxi hailing company would be swift in finalizing speculated launch plans in Accra. And while that has just been confirmed, there is enough to suggest that the move was accelerated by its recent mouth watering fund-raiser.
Only a few days ago Uber turned six and this milestone was greeted with a $3.5bn investment from Saudi Arabia's public investment fund. The biggest cash infusion into a startup from a single investor, that amount contributes to the total $13.5bn that has been raised by the company thus far. That figure dropped to about $11bn after offsetting some debts. Nevertheless, a financial war chest as such certainly looks handy in meeting Uber's expansion plans.
Regardless, the capital city of Ghana officially becomes the next city to join Uber’s booming network in Africa and the 467th city to join Uber's growing network. With Accra's thriving urban population of 2.27 million people who will have access to efficient transport through the ride-sharing platform, and with over 4 million people using the streets in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA), there is a clear demand for Uber’s services.
The people of Ghana also benefit from increasing availability of high-speed internet, thus creating the perfect environment for information technology-enabled services such as Uber. And Uber will no doubt be excited to explore the potential of this dynamic city.
Speaking on their launch, Alon Lits, General Manager for Uber Sub-Saharan Africa said, “Accra is bustling, connected city that Uber is proud to be launching in. It’s rapid growth and multiple ethnic communities make it an exciting place to introduce our service.”
