Uber has partnered with payment gateway operator Flutterwave to launch its new digital wallet called Uber Cash.
This will allow Uber users in sub-Saharan Africa to top up their Uber wallets using Flutterwave’s Pan-African remittance partners.
The service is expected to go live this week in African countries like Uganda, Kenya, South Africa, Ghana, Tanzania & Ivory Coast.
Uber says depending on the country, there will be different top-up methods including mobile money, electronic funds transfers (EFT), and transfers from Flutterwave’s own Barter payment app.
The credit will be used to pre-pay for upcoming Uber services that include rides, food deliveries and package deliveries among others.
How to add funds?
- Open the Uber app menu and tap Payment
- Tap Add Funds and select an amount to add to your Uber Cash balance
- Select your payment method, then tap Purchase
It now joins card & cash payments that are currently the accepted payment options for Uber services.
Related: What the new Uber Money means to drivers and riders
Why Uber Cash?
This is seen as a move aimed at reducing friction in the payment process, especially cash ones that mostly sideline Uber since they’re between the driver and the rider. Uber then relies on the driver’s mercy to get its cut.
How different is it from cash payments?
Uber Cash is a pre-payment option, meaning you load your uber account with credit using the aforementioned top-up methods. On the other hand, the conventional cash payments are a post-payment feature where you hand out cash to a Uber driver after extending services to you.
