According to the sources, the Ministry of Transport has begun discussions with a “major investment company” through its Arab Union Super Jet Company
Could Egypt see a state-owned ride-hailing app in the nearby future? Sources speaking to local news outlet Cairo 24 recently revealed that the government is looking into the idea as reports of kidnappings and attacks on women through Uber continue to rise.
According to the sources, the Ministry of Transport has begun discussions with a “major investment company” through its Arab Union Super Jet Company.
Discussions include the creation of a new company to manage the application, which is expected to begin its pilot phase in Cairo before expanding to the rest of the country.
Safety will be a priority for the app, sources explained. Possible security measures include installing surveillance cameras inside and outside of the vehicle and GPS devices to monitor speed and location.
Drivers will have to undergo an extensive hiring process, while all vehicles will be in constant contact with a central control room run by the soon-to-be-formed company.
This is not the first time that reports of a state or military-owned ride-hailing application was in the works. Soon after Uber and Careem’s 2019 merger was sealed, news outlets reported the launch of “Dubci Smart Transport,” a local and allegedly military-owned ride-hailing application.
The app was meant to combat the reduced competition caused by the merger of the country’s 2 largest ride-hailing services, but was unable to find its footing in the local market.
In response to reports of the military’s ownership of the app, the Armed Forces released an official statement denying that its affiliate the National Service Projects Agency was in charge of the Dubci app.
Other local apps have tried to enter Egypt’s ride-hailing market over the years, but have faced difficulties such as securing capital from investors and competing for users against well-funded international apps.
