Uber has announced that cash payments will be available to current and new users in Nairobi, officially ending the cash testing phase launched two months ago.

In the two months, the company has seen great growth in its business recording higher returns beyond cities such as Cape Town.

"We identified that not being able to pay cash is Nairobi was a big challenge," said Alon Lits, regional general manager for Sub-Saharan Africa at Uber, describing the results to date as "phenomenal."

Users will not be restricted in applying for a ride using cash and Uber expects that this will grow their business in Kenya's capital.

Since the launch of cash, the company has seen an increase in their driver network double. The number of trips in Nairobi has also increased to record an upward scale of three times weekly, while Uber has not disclosed figures, the company has confirmed that there has been a significant rise in the number of new users.

Lits also explained that this increase in drivers and users has reduced the waiting time to an average of 4 minutes, even with traffic, and the expectation is that this time will consistently be reduced.

Uber for deaf drivers

The company has also announced a new feature for deaf or hard of hearing drivers in Nairobi. It is the first African country to receive this service.

The new features will alert deaf drivers by flashing the phone screen. The rider will be alerted that the driver is hard of hearing and will be prompted to enter the destination. The user will also use text messaging to communicate with the driver.

Hassan Daudi, a new deaf driver, is excited about this new prospect and hopes that this will enable him to earn a decent living.

This partnership is done with the Kenya National Association of Deaf and will allow other hearing impaired drivers get integrated well into the service.