Ridesharing and the Friction of Digital Commerce in Cameroon
The post surveys the state of internet-based entrepreneurship in Cameroon, tracking the barriers that young founders face—chiefly gatekeeping around payment APIs and regulatory ambiguity—before introducing Takwid Express, a ridesharing platform attempting to formalize the existing informal practice of ride-sharing on intercity routes.
Ridesharing in Cameroon
With less than 2 million active internet users countrywide, Internet based entrepreneurs still have a steep hill to climb. Even with the backing of major internet providers like MTN, online retailers like Jumia are still not a household name when it comes to shopping in Cameroon.
Online transaction processing continues to be a fundamental setback to the growth of internet based business. Between 2014- 2015, My Aconnect came up with what appeared to be the most accessible system of online payments, employing a scratch card system where users could load up their accounts with Apoints and use the equivalent in virtual currency to make online purchases.
My Aconnect got recognition and funding from international bodies like the Tony Elumelu Foundation and emerged as one of the winners of the Anzisha prize but it appears the company was strangled out by god knows who through some licensing technicalities at the level of our local government.
As it stand, Orange and MTN seem to hold the keys to online transaction processing and they are not giving out keys to just anybody. Basically there is no clear criteria for who gets the API and who doesn't. C'est tojour man know man. Nevertheless, there are no signs of giving up when you talk to all the silicon heads. They continue building the products, hoping for clearer skies to meet them prepared.
The latest product on the market is Takwid Express, a ridesharing/carpooling company offering a platform for individuals to make money from the empty seats of their vehicles when they go on inter urban trips.
If you go to Mvan to take a bus to Douala, it is common to see private vehicles looking for travelers to join them for a fare slightly lower than what the bus services offer in exchange for a more comfortable and quicker journey. Takwid Express wants to bring that 'black market' business to the light. Having secured the API for MTN mobile money and a user friendly web application, Takwid Express is ready for the market.
You can register on the platform as a driver or a traveler. To be able to create a ride, drivers have to upload their photo, a photo of their vehicle with all registration information, a copy of their drivers license, and a copy of their CNI. Non drivers only need to upload their photo and their CNI when they create an account.
On the website, you can search for rides going to your destination and for a small fee, you can book a place. Drivers also pay a small fee for posting rides. For each ride, a pick up location and time is set. Takwid Express does not collect fares; that transaction is handled by the driver. Takwid Express is offering free credit to help you test the waters before you dive in.
Visit www.takwidexpress.com for more details on the service.
Also be on the lookout for another article on the feasibility of this idea based on what we know about the economic, political, technological, and sociocultural environment in Cameroon. This article should also explore the product in detail.
Maybe you can help me write a better article by telling me what you think of the product and if it is something you would use.
By 2017, Cameroon's digital economy was nascent but constrained. Internet penetration remained low, and the handful of multinational retail platforms had yet to achieve mainstream adoption. The post reflects a moment when local entrepreneurs were actively experimenting with adapted models—monetizing existing informal practices rather than importing wholesale foreign ideas—while contending with opaque regulatory and corporate gatekeeping.
The piece captures a crucial insight: that innovation in emerging markets often succeeds by formalizing and digitizing what already works informally, rather than inventing entirely new behavior. The specific frustration with MTN and Orange's control over payment infrastructure remains a persistent constraint across African digital economies. The post's candid phrase 'c'est toujour man know man' also documents, without preaching, how patronage and discretionary licensing can stifle competition and transparency in the tech sector.