Moja Ride, an Ivorian startup providing a reservation and cashless payment system for transport services in Abidjan, has partnered with O-CITY for its next phase of digital innovation and future expansion
The app is available in Abidjan, the capital of Ivory Coast, which has more than 35,000 share-taxis (Woro-Woro) and 8,000 minibuses (Gbaka) – all managed independently by vehicle owners. Since its launch, Moja Ride has gained a growing market share across multiple transport services in the city, supporting over 1,200 taxis and buses.
Through its open loop platform, O-CITY will enable public transport drivers to accept different payment methods from passengers, including QR code, NFC and prepaid cards such as the 'Moja Carte' which can be topped up to pay for public transport.
According to Jean-Claude Gouesse, founder of Moja Ride, the public transportation industry worldwide is becoming less dependent on proprietary closed loop payment solutions. Africa, with little legacy infrastructure to slow down progress, has the potential to leapfrog the rest of the world by harnessing the benefits of mobile technology and payments processing solutions to deliver a better and safer customer experience for commuters and transportation providers.
Gouesse explained, “At the moment, the siloed nature of the mobility market with thousands of owners makes it difficult to ensure transparency in terms of pricing and operational management. The dependance on cash as primary fare payment method creates an unsafe and dangerous experience for both riders and drivers.”
Tokhir Abdukadyrov, director of O-CITY, said, “This will not only improve the quality of the country's public transport but also put Moja on a path towards greater domination of the contactless payments space in the Ivory Coast and beyond.”
