Tech has been slow to take off in the former French colony—a general trend for Francophone Africa compared to Anglophone equivalents. But this is beginning to change as several startups make inroads into the untapped market over the last year—and the competition is heating up. Companies have erected giant billboards overlooking many of Dakar’s raised motorways, offering discounts for first-time users. Paris-based Heetch, Russian firm Yango, and Algerian ride-hailing app Yassir have all started operations in Senegal over the last 12 months. One of the main problems, however, is recruiting drivers. Many of Senegal’s traditional cab drivers do not own smartphones and some do not speak French, which is the language used on the apps. There is also hesitancy among local drivers who do not see the need to use technology when they have worked independently for years. For this reason, Heetch sets up workshops to train its drivers how to use smartphones at its office in Dakar’s upper-class neighborhood, Les Almadies.
SOURCE: QUARTZ AFRICA
More Stories
Mo Ibrahim’s Index Looks at Africa’s State of Governance
France to Give Burkina Faso What It Wants
Africa Has to Work on Feeding Itself
Mali Basketballer Disappointed with Treatment after Whistleblowing
Kenya Changes the Rules of Engagement
For Many, the Pope’s Visit is the Peace they Need
Algeria Unveils Series of Policies Aimed at Eliminating its Dependence on Fossil Fuels
Lagos Seaport Garners Support from the Masses
Sierra Leone Women Given Right to Own Land
History About East Africa’s Art Scene
Uganda Launches its First Oil Drilling Programme
Looking at a Decade of Uber’s Operations in Africa