Africa’s leading online mobility platform has revealed that for Tanzania, its top 50 earners—predominantly car-category drivers— on average each generated a NET income of 21,903,460 Tanzanian Shillings (TSh) in the past 6 months.
This equates to a monthly income of Tsh3,650,577 for a driver. This revelation underscores the disruptive role of the gig economy in Tanzania’s labour market. The shocking figure also surpasses the average net salary of a managerial role in the formal economy, positioning platform work as a viable pathway to financial growth and independence.
According to the Tanzania National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the formal-sector monthly cash earning in 2023/24 averaged TSh 609,354—broken down as TSh 549,373 in the private sector and TSh 1.27 million in the public sector . Against this backdrop, Bolt’s top performers are not just outliers; they are reshaping perceptions of productivity and remuneration within non-traditional work structures.
The macroeconomic context lends weight to this shift. Tanzania’s GDP expanded by 5.4% in 2024, with projections indicating growth could reach 6% in 2025, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) . Yet labour market inefficiencies remain pronounced, with the International Labour Organization (ILO) estimating unemployment at 8.9% in 2023. Being a driver in ride-hailing applications, though not perceived as a lucrative job or career path, is proving to be an alternative leading towards financial freedom for female and male individuals.
The transport sector illustrates both opportunity and constraint. Dar es Salaam’s Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system has improved urban mobility but still leaves significant coverage and first/last-mile service gaps, according to the World Bank’s Tanzania Urban Transport Review. Meanwhile, fuel price volatility—despite recent relief from government price adjustments in response to global oil shifts and a strengthened shilling—remains a structural vulnerability for both ride-hailing operators and commuters.
Commenting on the findings, Dimmy Kanyankole, General Manager of Bolt Tanzania, said: “Bolt’s earnings data signals more than individual success stories—it illustrates how digital platforms are generating high-productivity niches capable of mitigating unemployment and supplementing household incomes. We are committed to creating more opportunities for our driver partners. Their consistent engagement on the platform can yield substantial financial rewards. We are focused on improving the driver experience and ensuring sustainability in the gig economy.”
Bolt continues to roll out various programmes to enhance driver wellbeing, including safety features, flexible working hours, and reward schemes. At a macro-economic level, the challenge ahead lies in cultivating a conducive ecosystem that allows the gig economy to broaden these income opportunities beyond the top earners, ensuring a more inclusive transformation of Tanzania’s labour market.
