A Reluctant Beginning
When the National Boda Boda Union chairman and his committee first approached me, their request was clear: they wanted me to help them shape the future of Uganda’s most misunderstood yet indispensable sector.
They didn’t come to me simply because of my industry background, but because they believed I could help advance their vision to transform one of Uganda’s most vital yet misunderstood sectors.
At first, I was hesitant. Like many Ugandans, my perception of boda boda riders was shaped by stereotypes; unruly, undisciplined, and unmanageable. I had never imagined building a business with them.
Yet, after meeting the Union committee leaders with two decades of experience in the trade, I quickly realized my assumptions were wrong. Beneath their challenges lay resilience, ambition, and an unshakable desire to be recognized as part of Uganda’s economic story.
That realization convinced me to join. Alongside legal mind Fred Muwema, financial expert CPA Baker Kawuli, and strategic advisor Herbert Ndiwalana, I stepped into this journey as Product Advisor, committed to building solutions that would not just serve riders, but lift them out of poverty and reshape their place in Uganda’s economy.
The Billion-Dollar Revelation
Ahead of the Union’s official launch in January 2024, I set out on a fact-finding mission. Across 20 towns, the story was the same: boda operations lacked proper records, structures, and systems.
But beneath the disorder, I found a billion-dollar opportunity.
According to Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), a new boda boda costs UGX 5.5–6 million (USD 1,550–1,700). A company producing motorcycles locally at USD 1,000 each would instantly be sitting on a billion-dollar market. That figure eclipses even Uganda’s largest manufacturers today.
To put that into perspective, Uganda has only a handful of factories today valued at such a figure. The message was clear: the boda boda industry isn’t a side hustle. It is big business, demanding vision, structure, and leadership.
Riders Trapped in Debt
But what shocked me most wasn’t the scale, it was the suffering. Despite working long hours, riders remain some of the poorest workers in Uganda.
95% of new boda bodas are purchased on loans with interest rates as high as 60%.
More than 50% of riders never finish their two-year repayment plans.
A single motorbike may change hands three times before being fully paid off.
Suppliers profit less from selling bikes and more from spare parts, ensuring that riders remain trapped in a cycle of debt. This exploitation became a central priority of the Union’s reform program.
Uganda: East Africa’s Boda Capital
While Kenya boasts a larger economy, Uganda holds the crown for the highest number of boda bodas on the continent.
URA reports that suppliers sell an average of 12,000 motorcycles per month, placing the industry’s value at a staggering USD 74 billion annually.
Why so many? Simply because bikes break down quickly, creating a never-ending demand for new ones. Poor durability is the reason.
The Union’s Bold Response
In January 2024, the Union launched the National Boda Boda Stage Development Model (NBSDM) under the theme “Empowering Boda Boda Riders for Growth.”
This was more than a program, it was a blueprint for financial inclusion and social transformation.
Through NBSDM, boda stages are being registered and structured across the country, giving riders access to accountability systems, savings programs, safety nets, and affordable financing.
Powering Change Through Partnerships
The Union has embraced collaboration as its greatest strength. We have built partnerships across Uganda’s mobility, financial and telecom ecosystem, including:
NSSF – To bridge the social security gap
Housing Finance Uganda – For affordable housing projects MTN Uganda – For mobile money, device financing and connectivity
Next Media (NBS) – For nationwide awareness and advocacy
Spiro, Honda & Simba – For bike supply, servicing and e-mobility integration
RZ Innovations– For vehicle spare parts and supplies
Bleep – For logistics and authentication technology Many more strategic partnerships are underway that will play a role in building a more structured, empowered sector.
Union Products: Designed for Riders’ Realities
To make empowerment practical, the Union has rolled out products tailored to the unique needs of riders:
Union Driver App
At the center of the Union’s strategy is the Union Driver App, a digital platform designed to improve both mobility and safety for riders and passengers. Unlike many ride-hailing apps that charge high commissions, the Union App sets its rate at just 7%, one of the lowest in Uganda. With nationwide coverage extending beyond Kampala, it ensures that riders and passengers across the country can access affordable, reliable, and inclusive transport solutions.
The Road Ahead
As Product Advisor of the Union, I take pride in what we’ve built so far. We have demonstrated that our ambitions are not just mere promises, they are real, achievable, and already taking shape. The Union is not simply another cooperative riding on hope; it is a force of transformation. We are uniting Uganda’s transport sector, uplifting livelihoods, and positioning mobility as a true driver of inclusive national growth.
Our EV revolution is already underway, and with it comes a bold vision for the future, one that goes beyond boda-bodas. We are preparing to integrate buses and work in synergy with our brothers in the Taxi Union to create a mobility ecosystem that is sustainable, inclusive, and future-ready.
But our vision does not stop at transport. Through our asset-financing products, we are also opening pathways for entrepreneurs in agropreneurship.
By aligning with Uganda’s ambitious ten-fold growth strategy, particularly in agro-industrialization, we are enabling ordinary Ugandans to participate in transforming the economy from USD 50 billion today to USD 500 billion by 2040.
At the center of this is the Union Bank’s SACCO model which is our gateway to affordable financing and genuine asset ownership. This product will
not only empower boda-boda riders but also taxi operators, traders in local markets, and others beyond the mobility sector. It’s about building financial inclusion that delivers real impact.
What began with skepticism has now grown into conviction: the informal workforce is a billion-dollar industry with the potential to thrust Uganda’s economy into an unmatched position in the East African region. Through the Union, we are proving that change is not just possible, it’s inevitable.
