AfriKonekta has announced a pioneering partnership with Google Maps, marking a significant milestone as the first in Africa to provide intercity and cross-border bus transit information.
This collaboration connects 16 countries within the AfriKonekta network, enabling travellers to plan trips, compare fares and bus schedules, book, and pay online seamlessly.
Through this partnership, AfriKonekta aims to integrate precise intercity and cross-border transit information into Google Maps.
As one of the most widely used internet applications, Google Maps will help AfriKonekta reach a large audience, particularly catering to budget-conscious long-distance travellers across Africa.
AfriKonekta operates services in Kenya and Zambia, with connectivity to 14 neighbouring countries or border towns in Africa.
Travellers can now use Google Maps to search for available route schedules on AfriKonekta, facilitating better route planning and greater convenience.
Tichaona Dande, AfriKonekta CEO and Co-Founder mentioned that this initiative aims to make route planning effortless for travellers.
With this partnership, Google Maps will now be able to assist travellers with comprehensive intercity and cross-border bus transit information.
“Traveling in Africa is often unorganized, difficult to plan,
chaotic, and unreliable, especially when planning more complex trips that may involve multiple routes or countries,” Dande echoed.
He expressed confidence that the practical use of this technology will facilitate better trip planning, resulting in greater convenience for travellers across Africa.
Incorporated in Finland, AfriKonekta is an African long-distance mobility platform offering a tech-enabled bus travel experience.
Since its official launch on August 16th, 2023, AfriKonekta has partnered with over 45 bus operators, servicing more than 400 destinations across Africa.
The company also has a prospective expansion strategy targeting over 22 countries.
Dande reiterated the company’s commitment to building a connected Africa through broader and deeper regional and continental integration.
