Uber Kenya and Sidian Bank have announced that they have partnered to launch an Uber Vehicle Solutions Programme that will give driver-partners and business investors convenient and affordable access to the quality vehicles they need to start or grow their Uber-based businesses. This comes shortly after Uber celebrated 1 million rides taken in Kenya since its launch 15 months ago.

The vehicle access initiative includes a vehicle finance component delivered through Sidian Bank and a vehicle leasing solution made available through Zohari Leasing. The initiative is valued at a total of approximately Ksh 10 billion (USD $100 million).

According to Nate Anderson, acting general manager for Uber in Kenya, the Vehicle Solutions Programme follows similar offerings that have recently been launched by Uber in partnership with WesBank, with great success in South Africa as well as in a number of international locations where Uber has a presence.

“By enabling qualifying driver-partners and investors to afford reliable, high-quality vehicles, Uber is not only helping them to establish and grow their businesses, we are also building an even more sustainable ride-sharing network in Kenya which moves us forward towards achieving our vision of being a first-choice transport solution for everyone in the country,” said Anderson.

Anderson explained that, the key to the Vehicle Solutions Programme’s ability to realize this vision is its highly inclusive design that makes it a viable and accessible proposition for the widest possible cross section of existing and prospective Uber driver-partners.

The vehicle finance component of the program offers qualifying driver-partners and investors up to 100% finance deals on vehicles priced between Ksh 1 million (USD$9,925.51) and Ksh 1.5 million (USD$14,888.26), with a 36-month repayment period at a low 10.5% interest rate.

“To make this unique opportunity as widely available as possible, the qualifying criteria for both the finance and leasing options are focused more on the applicant’s proven Uber experience than on his or her credit history,” said Sidian Bank’s Chief Executive Officer Titus Karanja. “And the primary qualifying requirement is more than 500 trips and an Uber rating of higher than 4.6. We expect speedy uptake of this financing package, with the entrenchment of Uber’s services in Kenya”

And even drivers with no experience or track record on the Uber platform have the opportunity to benefit from the Vehicle Solutions Programme because, provided their credit record is in good standing, they can apply for classic financing from Sidian Bank for up to 90% of the purchase price of vehicles that are of sufficient quality and reliability to give them entry into the Uber driver-partner network.

Anderson also points to the launch of the UberFinder platform in Kenya as a way to help those drivers and fleet partners not operating on the platform gain access to vehicles that they can use to build up their Uber track record in order to eventually qualify for the Sidian finance or leasing solutions.

“Through the UberFinder system, fleet partners are able to rent their vehicles to drivers on the platform rather than employ full-time drivers,” he said. “While drivers have a unique opportunity to rent the vehicle they need to gain the required Uber experience needed to eventually qualify to finance their own.”