In Media Partnership with UNKA GO
UNKA GO is the latest taxi ride hailing startup set to take the City of Lusaka by storm. The app has been developed locally by Software Development company Probase. There are an estimated 100,000 daily users in the e-taxi hailing services ecosystem, making it one of the most lucrative businesses in the country. The app is set to be the first on the market with unique features tailored towards female passengers and an in app payment wallet which allows users to load funds directly from credit/debit/virtual cards.
Zambia’s Ride Hailing Market
This week, UNKA Go was announced as the Official Stanbic Music Festival Mobility partner. The company will be responsible for the transportation of the world renowned singer Neyo as he is set to arrive in Lusaka later this afternoon. The company is leveraging this partnership as part of an aggressive marketing strategy intended to create more brand recognition as they prepare for the official launch on 24th October. So far, the videos of UNKA branded cars cruising through Lusaka have gathered more than 20,000 views on social media.
Currently the Zambian ride hailing market is dominated by the Russian owned Yango (Yandex) and the local Ulendo. Ulendo was the first in the market and has built a strong brand and user base. Yango entered the market with a strong loss leadership strategy which helped them gain nearly 40% of the market. A key incentive for drivers on the platform is also the revenue share, on which Yango remains slightly better (30%) though Ulendo (25%) has more strict drivers standards. UNKA is looking to exploit this gap and offer more favourable terms to drivers able to pass their rider validation process. This includes 100% revenue from the first month of rides facilitated on the UNKA GO platform.
UNKA’s Unique Offering
The app has been designed with special consideration of various reports of safety concerns with specific ride hailing start ups. The UNKA team has in built various features to improve the riders safety and comfort, include :
- Ride Sharing : Users will now be able to split the cost of shared trips between them with funds deposited on the UNKA application. The application allows users to choose the most suitable vehicle for the size of their party
- In App Wallet : Powered by Bevura, this is the first app which automatically withdraws the agreed fee from the user’s account. This will allow users with pre-loaded cards to gain priority and a more seamless experience. This can also work with preloaded mastercard for mobile money payments
- Emergency Ride Exit : Once pressed, this button allows a user to notify authorities of any irregularities and will have members of the UNKA team following up with the matter and flagging the driver for further investigations
- UNKA Deliveries : This will be an all in one service which is due to include product deliveries. UNKA will offer a cheaper listing service for businesses to offer their goods to more customers
- Corporate Rides : The service will also offer a ride service for corporates who would like to hire luxury cars for specific occasions. This can include meetings and client pickups
The Launch
On the 29th September the UNKA GO team held a live demonstration of the service, with a motorcade cruising around the Lusaka CBD. The purpose of the application is to empower drivers in order to earn more from their business as UNKA offers a revenue share model which means the drivers earn 100% of income for the first month. The launch was in partnership with the Lusaka Bike Riders Club, with more than 50 members attending every Sunday.
UNKA is leading the way when it comes to building a local brand presence and we can’t wait to attend the official launch event scheduled for 24th October 2023. The team has partnered with influencers from around Zambia and will look to implement the initial stages of the launch following the Stanbic Music Festival.
