Bicycle mobility in sub-saharan Africa : a market system investigation into demand and use

Abstract

Throughout Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), a well-functioning bicycle market system would significantly improve the lives of the large numbers of people who struggle to travel to health services, education, economic opportunities, and basic social services, community or religious events, because of limited access to motorised transport. Research into the use of bicycles as a mode of transport in SSA typically considers either (i) the ‘demand’ side of a bicycle market system – barriers and challenges to increased individual use, from a cost, road safety, acceptability, capability, and preference perspective or (ii) the enabling environment – infrastructure and policy gaps. This research instead takes an entire bicycle market system approach, which considers the enabling environment, demand factors, supply, and supporting services and systems. Key to the market systems approach is understanding why the market fails to meet the needs of the vulnerable, and developing appropriate market interventions. This paper shares market system research conducted for the Bicycles for Growth project in two Southern Africa countries (Malawi and Zambia) and for comparative purposes also presents findings from Ghana, Rwanda, and Uganda. Key findings are that the bicycle market system across SSA is weak, and that the robust demand for bicycles is not met by similarly robust systems or supply-side ‘pillars’ of a market system. Access to bicycle financing, policy support and commitment, supportive import taxation regimes, supplier/retailer feedback systems, and strong advocacy networks, are particular weaknesses in the overall system.