SafeBoda is set to make a comeback in the Kenyan market after a three-year hiatus, resuming operations on February 10th, 2024.
Initially entering Kenya in 2018 to professionalize the local motorcycle taxi industry, the company left in November 2020 due to operational challenges and the impact of COVID-19.
The return announcement, shared through a humorous social media post, playfully referenced their earlier departure from Nairobi.
The company’s website now features a countdown timer, emphasizing the motorcycle-taxi-hailing platform’s commitment to safety, convenience, and affordability as it prepares to re-establish itself in the city.
During its absence, SafeBoda focused on expanding operations in Uganda (where it launched in 2015) and Nigeria.
The decision to re-enter the Kenyan market signals a renewed dedication to providing safe and reliable transportation options in Nairobi, despite previous challenges and competition from services like Bolt boda and UberBoda.
In November 2020, SafeBoda announced, “SafeBoda has made a very difficult decision to pause Rides and Send services from the 27th of November 2020. From now until then, we will be promoting our drivers and this will be a chance for customers to use their remaining wallet balances to take rides and send packages.”
According to earlier reports, SafeBoda was poorly managed and had many complaints about arrogant and incompetent riders who would even insist on negotiating the price after making deliveries instead of going with the SafeBoda set price.
Others complained that the rides are usually rude and sometimes refuse to pick calls when delivering items. Also Boda digitization was in its early days then, couples by lack of the passenger business during COVID-19.
Operating in Uganda and Nigeria, SafeBoda is backed with investors such GoVentures (GoJek), Allianz X, Unbound, Beenext, Justin Kan and is having a huge impact on millions in its markets. SafeBoda has also worked with a number of organisations to bring impact in road safety and financial inclusion, including Shell Foundation, United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), UN Women and the Global Road Safety Partnership, among many others. SafeBoda has +200 employees, +25,000 drivers in its community and has completed over 40 million orders.