Urban Transport in Benin: Regulation to Save VTC Drivers
In response to the increasingly precarious situation of Vehicle for Hire (VTC) drivers, Advisor Minister Jacques Ayadji has called a tripartite meeting with the GoZem and Yango platforms, and the representatives of the drivers.
Gozem Bénin
The purpose of this meeting, according to the authorities, is to lay the groundwork for a more equitable and sustainable legal framework for the sector. According to La Nation, drivers denounce a dramatic drop in rates, unchanged commissions, and increasingly higher operating expenses.
“We are in distress,” warned Maxi Agbla, representative of the National Union of VTC drivers, pointing out that the financial situation of the drivers has significantly deteriorated since the arrival of the Yango platform, which triggered a price war.
According to the accounts collected, some trips now only yield 300 CFA francs, an amount deemed insufficient compared to operating costs (fuel, maintenance, depreciation). This situation directly threatens the income of thousands of families.
Jacques Ayadji reiterated the urgency of a lasting regulation of the sector to ensure better social and economic protection for drivers. He advocated for concrete measures to preserve the viability of the profession in an increasingly competitive environment.