Uber Technologies started the ride-hailing service in the Ghanaian capital of Accra on Wednesday, continuing an expansion plan that’s seen the company regularly add new markets in sub-Saharan Africa.
Ghana is the fifth sub-Saharan African country to get the Uber service, less than a week after the its introduction in Kampala, the capital of Uganda.
The US startup will expand into Tanzania later this month, the company said earlier this year.
Uber began operations in South Africa in 2013, its first market in the region.
“We see Accra as a natural fit,” said Alon Lits, Uber’s GM for sub-Saharan Africa. “Its people are willing to embrace innovation and technology and love products that are cool, exclusive, and offer a new experience.”
Uber, which allows passengers to summon cars using a smartphone app, now has a presence in 467 cities across the world. The company targeted Accra due to a population of more than 4m people, it said, while mobile phone penetration in the West African country has exceeded 100%. — © 2016 Bloomberg LP