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eMoney News

Google rolls out Beba NFC transit card in Kenya
7 Jun 2012

Internet giant Google has just launched a new transit card in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi with the aim of making paying for a bus journey as easy as possible.

The near-field communication (NFC) Beba transit card works in much the same way as the Oyster card does in London, allowing users to top-up their card in advance then tap it against a reader when boarding a bus.

Currently it is only available on Citi Hoppa buses in Nairobi, but if it proves successful it could be rolled out elsewhere in the country.

Cards can be topped up at various agents and bus stops around the city to a maximum of 10,000 Ksh (£75) and the Beba itself is free, though users need to have a Google account to register it.

Though still very much in its infancy, it is thought that the transit card could prove successful as Kenyan bus conductors commonly increase fares during busy periods and issues about change are a common problem on the network.

"It's convenient because you don’t have to worry about getting change," the company says on its website.