Uber: Business growing faster in Africa than America

Justin Spratt, Uber’s head of business development for the sub-Saharan region, says the company has experienced faster growth in Africa than in America.

Spratt told Reuters on Tuesday that the company is considering moving to more markets despite the opposition it has faced in some parts of the world.

In September, Transport for London failed to renew Uber’s operating licence for lack of corporate responsibility.

“We are bullish on Africa. The growth here is still substantial and we think that given the right regulatory environment, the growth could be even better,” Spratt said.

“Africa’s growth thus far has been faster than America and a large part of that is because there is such deficiency in public transport … that talks to the latent need, the pent-up demand for citizens to travel more within cities.”

He said the company was talking to governments, regulatory authorities and taxi associations in Africa to address grievances that led to the attack of some of its drivers in Kenya and South Africa.

“We realise that we need to work with cities and the regulatory framework to help build out ride-sharing regulation,” he said.

Spratt said Uber is struggling to meet the demand for drivers in Africa.

Launched in sub-Saharan Africa in 2013, Uber operates in Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda and South Africa.