When ride-hailing service, Rida, launched in Harare, Zimbabwe in 2023, it not only brought convenience to commuters, but also attracted professionals who are leaving their jobs to supplement their meagre salaries as gig workers.
Though Zimbabwe’s literacy rates are comparably higher than the rest of the continent, according to a 2014 Labour Force and Child Labour Survey, only 4.9% of the working population are professionals. Many Zimbabweans in this demographic, however, are increasingly unable to meet their cost of living needs as inflation and currency changes continue to worsen the country’s economy. In 2014, average private sector wage was US$340, below the Poverty Datum Line (PDL) for a family of five. To survive, the majority moonlight, embark on side hustles, or seek out a source of livelihood in other sectors, like ride-hailing.
One such professional, Talkmore*, 34, who asked for anonymity for professional reasons, graduated in 2015 with a degree in accounting from the University of Zimbabwe (UZ), and has worked at a local accounting firm, earning US$400 monthly after nearly a decade.
“For me, it was no longer viable to continue working as an accountant at a local firm, and getting paid around US$400 a month, when I could drive a taxi, and make almost double that amount, at the same time, making enough for my family,” Talkmore told .
On average, in 2025, a single individual’s monthly expenses can range between $500 and $800, excluding rent. Including rent, especially in urban areas like Harare, the total can rise to $1,200 or more, depending on lifestyle and housing choices.
Making ends meet
Talkmore says when he graduated, he had high hopes for a successful career. But over the years, the corporate world grew more demanding yet less rewarding, his salary barely enough to cover basics, like rentals and transportation.
He took interest in the ride-hailing sector after a friend mentioned it to him and began saving to purchase a car. The goal was to join a service and supplement his income. In 2024, he withdrew his lifetime savings—amounting to US$3,000—and with an additional US$2,000 loan from a friend, purchased a second-hand car.
Then he joined Rida, first completing a chat-based registration, submitting his vehicle registration details, a copy of his driver’s licence, and proof of insurance. After a rigorous vetting process and background checks, he was onboarded onto the platform and began taking ride requests during his lunch breaks and after work hours. In a few days, he was making three to four rides a day, earning an extra US$50-US$60 per day.
“At first, I had to sneak out of my workplace and sometimes got into trouble with my superiors,” Talkmore said. “Since then, I have gained a regular clientele, especially those working at night.”
Like Talkmore, Emassy Tawanda Ndorodzavashe, 30, an IT technician by training, said he joined the ride-hailing sector to supplement his income.
“What motivated most of us to join inDrive is because it is flexible, I can work at my own time and pace, and I don’t have a fixed timetable. If I get five to six clients a day, on a good day, I can easily make $50-$60,” Ndorodzavashe said.
For 40-year-old Davidson* (not real name for professional reasons), a former professional sports instructor, fewer available opportunities to coach school children drove him into joining the ride-hailing gig economy.
“The interest in sports and funding in the country has gone down over the years. Before, I could make a living coaching many young children, but recently I turned to ride-hailing, using someone’s car, and getting an income of around U$200-US$250 per month,” Davidson said.
Growing demand
In Harare, Zimbabwe’s capital, the majority of commuters use public transport. However, since 2023 when international ride-hailing startups such as inDrive and Bolt entered the market, commuters are increasingly opting for ride-hailing services preferring their security, speed, and convenience over available local alternatives. In addition, an ongoing blitz on unregistered commuter omnibus taxis has given these services an added advantage. Early this year, over 13,000 unregistered and unroadworthy pirate taxis and commuter omnibuses were targeted by the state. Out of the over 16,000 commuter omnibuses operating in Harare, only less than 3,000 are registered.
This crackdown has intensified competition within the ride-hailing sector with available services striving to offer better incentives for drivers and riders. On Rida, for instance, drivers can operate with their own cars after registration and verification processes, others hire cars, or drivers to operate them, and share the profits. At the moment, Rida charges around $20 for a distance of 25km.
InDrive gained first-mover advantage when it launched in Harare in March 2023, and has gained competitive edge for its lower rates, pegged at about $13 for 25km, with an option for customers to negotiate fares. It also offers intercity connectivity (with presence in Harare, Bulawayo, Gweru, and Mutare) and courier services to clients. Other services like Bolt, Taxify, and local solutions like Vaya, also offer both commuters and potential drivers options from which to choose.
Despite its economy, Statista estimates that by 2025, Zimbabwe will generate around US$9.96 million in the ride-hailing market, and a projected market volume of US$84.09 million by 2029. Almost 2.80 million users will be using the service by 2029, the research says, portending a sector that may hold significant economic benefit.
For these professionals, however, joining the ride-hailing sector hasn’t come without its challenges. When it’s busy, there is rarely any time to rest, and one doesn’t have a permanent place or office to operate from, Ndorodzavashe explained. Some clients harass drivers and there is a high risk of robberies and hijacking at night, since they sometimes deal with cash, Ndorodzavashe said. Additionally, network problems can hamper communication with clients and transactions for mobile money payment systems.
Overcoming public sentiment about ride-hailing
Zimbabwe is experiencing a “jobless growth” phenomenon, according to a 2016 report by the International Labor Organisation—GDP has grown at various points, but this has not translated into a proportional increase in professional or formal employment. Informal sector employment stood at 94.5% in 2014, a rise from 80% in 2004. Of an annual 30,000 graduates, only 20% stand the chance of gaining formal employment. Hence as more professionals join sectors like ride-hailing, the sentiment that jobs like these are for the less educated is changing.
“Personally, I believe my stint in the corporate world as an accountant and college training has equipped me to be disciplined and I continue to use those ethics in my work today in the ride-hailing sector,” Talkmore said, adding that the experience has been rewarding because he can work at his own pace without pressure from his employer, who sometimes failed to pay on time. “I could easily make $600 per month, more than my salary,” Talkmore said.
Driven by a regular, guaranteed income, Ndorodzavashe is now focused on driving, doing his IT jobs when he has no rides.
“My original profession has now become my part-time job,” he said. “Before I became full-time, I spent my time in the office, but when I started getting more ride requests, I changed and did my IT jobs when I didn’t have any rides.”
