In the same week ride-hailing firm Uber announced its withdrawal from Morocco, citing the North African country's regulatory environment, the company also confirmed plans to increase its investment in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Alon Lits, General Manager for Uber Sub-Saharan Africa said the company is optimistic about growth prospects in the SSA region because countries there are characterised by rapid urbanisation. According to Uber in September 2017, the service celebrated four years of growth across SSA, with more than 1.8 million active riders using the app. It has also noted repeat usage in countries such as South Africa, where the app is fast becoming a viable alternative to private car ownership. Johannesburg Mayor, Herman Mashaba said his administration couldn't respond to the rising levels of violence between metered taxi and Uber drivers in the City.

Source: The North Africa Journal February 23, 2018 12:00 UTC