Wanja Getambu-Kiragu

Safari Cargo Family: innovations connecting African road transport

I have been leading innovative solutions to make road transport safer, more profitable and more inclusive. 

Our latest innovation is the Safari Cargo Family: a cross-border, Africa-wide hub that connects truck drivers and shippers with cargo, trucks and suppliers.

Problem-solving is my passion, and when I found myself in the logistics sector, I found the greatest challenge I have ever faced. 

I have sat in trucks, burned the midnight oil at ports chasing container loaders, loaded trucks, transported boats and helicopters, engaged customs, road and weighbridge agencies, and lived to fight another day. This is my greatest source of education and experience: a school of hard knocks.

Being an entrepreneur has been my life for as long as I can remember. I started my first business while I was in university, refurbishing sanitary fittings for hotels and residences. I then started working in finance during the 2006-2007 IPO boom.

After graduate school, I moved full time into private sector development consulting. Consulting exposed me to all the major sectors in the region before I finally settled on working full time in the logistics industry. 

Today, I use my experiences to guide other entrepreneurs and continue to consult and develop innovative solutions for the logistics sector. I remain a champion for road safety engaging truck drivers, truck owners and government agencies on road safety.

My parting shot, especially for entrepreneurs, is that money is a tool, not a business (unless you’re a bank). Use it wisely and enjoy the journey as you look forward to the destination.

The views and opinions expressed by the New Industry Shapers do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of IRU.