An Nisa Taxi offers safe transportation options for women and children and has gained over 10,000 users in one year.
Kenya-based startup An Nisa Taxi has announced plans to expand its app-based women-only taxi service to Saudi Arabia. Founded by Mehnaz Sarwar in 2018, the startup has experienced significant growth in its home market, gaining over 10,000 users since launching its platform last year.
An Nisa Taxi – Women-orientated services
With a team of female drivers and catering exclusively to women and children, An Nisa Taxi’s unique business model has enabled it to carve out a niche in the Kenyan market. The startup offers monthly packages for parents and working women while empowering its female drivers by providing better rates in a safe working environment.
Safety for women: a significant selling point
The startup’s focus on women’s safety is a response to harassment reported and experienced by women using traditional taxi services. In Saudi Arabia, where the company plans to expand, the issue of women’s safety is even more pressing. The country has recently relaxed its restrictions on women’s mobility, allowing them to drive and operate taxis. However, there is still growing demand for safe transportation options for women.
Employment opportunities for Saudi women
An Nisa Taxi’s emphasis on women’s safety and empowerment could be a significant selling point in the Saudi market. Moreover, its expansion could have a positive impact on women’s employment in Saudi Arabia, a country that has traditionally presented significant challenges for women looking to access the job market. The startup’s women-only driving jobs could contribute to increasing women’s participation in the workforce.
Funding the expansion
Self-funded to date, An Nisa Taxi is seeking investment to fund its expansion to Saudi Arabia. Many of its partners are based in the country, making it a strategic move for the startup. An Nisa Taxi generates revenue through its daily rides, monthly subscriptions, and corporate clients, which include Standard Chartered.
Kenyan e-mobility start-ups have to date raised USD 52 million in capital financing, the highest in Africa.
Nigerian daily ride startup Treepz has recently expanded into Kenya and mass-transit startup and mass-transit company Shuttlers recently secured USD 4 million in funding.