The Gig is Up The Gig Is Up

Free two-day shipping has become so common in e-commerce today, it’s changed how we buy online. We often don't realize how much we expect it until it's not there. But for most of the world fast delivery is not possible, it's very expensive, and it's often unreliable. In Africa, this comes down to the Last Mile of delivery. How is this holding back the growth of business in otherwise booming places like Kenya and Nigeria? And how have China and Indonesia already begun to solve for it?

Historically, most informal entrepreneurs have struggled to grow their businesses. They don't have a credit history, so they struggle get a bank loan. Today, however, smartphones are changing things, and opening up a world in which side hustles are more viable than ever. But how much have things really changed?

Host: Damian S Milverton

Voices you hear on this episode:
Lucy Anne Wanjiku Mbugua, entrepreneur and admin assistant
Juan Seco, Jumia Chief Operating Officer
Jimmy Kipbichii, clothing designer
Miriam Wambui, HR consultant
Michelle Hassan, BFA Country Manager
Simon Gichuhi Njuguna, WTS Husla, Businessman
Daniel Yu, Sokowatch CEO
Ash Amin, BFA Senior Associate

Young people in Africa were told that they were destined for office jobs and full-time salaries. But the economy doesn't have enough of those jobs to go around. Instead, the jobs people are getting—and sometimes preferring—are different kinds of gig work, i.e., an Uber/Lyft driver. Gig work is often easier to get, offers more flexible hours and locations, and lets you log in and out with the tap of an app. But what are the dangers of this new future of work, i.e., without benefits or job protections? Is it a race to the bottom for the lowest-income workers?

Host: Damian S Milverton

Voices you hear in this episode:
Anne Gachoka, BFA Associate
Miriam Wambui, HR Consultant
Wangechi Kinuthia, student
Georgia Wandia, student
Maryanne Wangare Muthoni, student
David Porteous, BFA Founder and Chair
Nzisa Waki, Lynk Pro, Massage Therapist
Jonathan Otieka Were, Lynk Pro, tiler, floor installer, and sander
Johannes Degn, Lynk Cofounder
Daniel Kivuti Gichoni, Ubereats delivery person
Olga Morawczynski, Mastercard Foundation Program Manager
Jane del Sur, FIBR Deputy Director

The Gig is Up is a three-part podcast series discussing the global gig economy covering everything from the disruption of Uber and Bolt to the challenges of Jumia in Africa and the ubiquity of Amazon. Brought to you by BFA and Quartz Africa. Brought to you by BFA and Quartz Africa.