What is the name of your organization?
Bhadala
What is the name of your solution?
WiTaxi Pay powered by Bhadala
Provide a one-line summary or tagline for your solution.
Bhadala offers digital payment and mobility solutions to enhance transit efficiency and accessibility in underserved communities.
In what city, town, or region is your solution team headquartered?
Detroit, MI, USA
In what country is your solution team headquartered?
USA
What type of organization is your solution team?
For-profit, including B-Corp or similar models
Film your elevator pitch.
What specific problem are you solving?
Bhadala is addressing the lack of accessible, efficient, and inclusive transit payment systems in underserved communities, particularly in African markets where public transit is fragmented and underdeveloped. Globally, 2.6 billion people remain offline, and 1.4 billion are unbanked, limiting their access to digital financial tools and services. In many African cities, informal transit systems dominate, with passengers relying on cash payments, which are inefficient, insecure, and exclude those without access to banking services. This creates barriers to mobility, economic participation, and financial inclusion.
In South Africa, for example, over 70% of commuters rely on minibus taxis, yet these systems lack integrated payment solutions, leading to inefficiencies and lost economic opportunities. Our solution, WiTaxi Pay, provides a seamless digital payment platform that bridges this gap, enabling unbanked populations to access secure, cashless transit options. By integrating real-time data and modular services, we aim to transform transit systems, improve user experiences, and empower communities with tools for economic resilience. Our work directly addresses the challenge of expanding financial services and workforce participation by leveraging technology to create inclusive, scalable solutions for millions of underserved individuals.
What is your solution?
Bhadala’s solution is a modular Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) platform that simplifies transit payments, improves access to transportation, and enhances mobility for underserved communities. Our platform is being deployed in three phases: WiTaxi Pay, a seamless digital payment system (Phase 1); real-time transit data (Phase 2); and integrated mobility services (Phase 3).
WiTaxi Pay enables cashless payments for mass "informal" transit industry, enabling users—including unbanked/underbanked populations—to pay for transit securely using mobile wallets, QR codes, or contactless cards. This reduces reliance on cash, improves efficiency, and creates a digital financial footprint for users. The platform is powered by cloud-based software and integrates with existing transit systems, making it scalable and adaptable to different markets.
We’ve successfully deployed WiTaxi Pay in South Africa, where it supports minibus taxi operators and passengers, and are now working on a single payment platform for multi-modal transit for Southeast Michigan including the city of Detroit. This technology-driven approach bridges gaps in mobility and financial inclusion, fostering economic opportunities and inclusion for underserved populations.
WiTaxi Pay: https://vimeo.com/1075511110
WiTaxi Pay Demo: https://vimeo.com/1007703904
Who does your solution serve, and in what ways will the solution impact their lives?
Our solution serves over 15 million commuters in South Africa who rely on the fragmented and informal minibus taxi industry for daily transit to access jobs, healthcare, education, and other essential services. These commuters, many of whom are unbanked or underbanked, face challenges such as cash-only payments, inefficiencies, and safety concerns. Additionally, drivers and fleet owners—who are small business operators—struggle with income instability, lack of financial tools, and limited access to data that could optimize their operations.
Public transit in many African countries, including South Africa, is a legacy of colonialism and apartheid, leaving communities reliant on aging vehicles and uncoordinated systems. Governments often do not provide formal public transit, making the informal sector critical yet underserved.
Our solution directly addresses these challenges by introducing WiTaxi Pay, a cashless payment system that improves convenience, security, and financial inclusion for commuters. For drivers and fleet owners, it provides digital tools to track payments, manage operations, and build financial records, enabling access to credit and business growth. By modernizing transit systems, we empower underserved populations with reliable mobility, economic opportunities, and a pathway to financial resilience.
