Cowry Go+
Lagos' urban mobility challenges
Environment
Mobile
Year
2021
I have altered or removed any confidential information in this case study. The details shared are based on my own experience and do not necessarily reflect the company’s official views or facts.
I have altered or removed any confidential information in this case study. The details shared are based on my own experience and do not necessarily reflect the company’s official views or facts.
Context
Lagos epitomises the complexity of urban transport challenges in Africa. With a road network density of just 0.4 kilometres per thousand inhabitants (far below the continental average), the city struggles to support its rapidly growing population. Residents navigate the city’s congested roads via Danfos—ubiquitous yellow mini-buses—and three-wheelers, okadas (motorcycles), and, more recently, blue BRT buses. All of which are emblematic of the inefficiencies plaguing Lagos’s public transport system. In 2021, the Lagos State Government took a bold step to phase out Danfos and usher in a new era of public transportation with blue BRT buses powered by the Cowry Card, a reloadable prepaid card. While promising, this system came with its own set of hurdles:
Context
Lagos epitomises the complexity of urban transport challenges in Africa. With a road network density of just 0.4 kilometres per thousand inhabitants (far below the continental average), the city struggles to support its rapidly growing population. Residents navigate the city’s congested roads via Danfos—ubiquitous yellow mini-buses—and three-wheelers, okadas (motorcycles), and, more recently, blue BRT buses. All of which are emblematic of the inefficiencies plaguing Lagos’s public transport system. In 2021, the Lagos State Government took a bold step to phase out Danfos and usher in a new era of public transportation with blue BRT buses powered by the Cowry Card, a reloadable prepaid card. While promising, this system came with its own set of hurdles:
Navigating Inefficiency
While the BRT system was heralded as a game-changer, its potential remains unrealised. This forces many commuters to stick with unreliable Danfos (because of its uncomplicated payment system) or resort to private vehicles, exacerbating Lagos’ infamous traffic congestion. We spoke with 30+ commuters, ranging from daily BRT users to occasional traveler’s, giving us a window into their daily struggles. These pain points stood out:
Navigating Inefficiency
While the BRT system was heralded as a game-changer, its potential remains unrealised. This forces many commuters to stick with unreliable Danfos (because of its uncomplicated payment system) or resort to private vehicles, exacerbating Lagos’ infamous traffic congestion. We spoke with 30+ commuters, ranging from daily BRT users to occasional traveler’s, giving us a window into their daily struggles. These pain points stood out:
Long top-up queues
BRT terminals were the only places to recharge Cowry Cards, leading to serpentine queues that added unnecessary delays.
Long top-up queues
BRT terminals were the only places to recharge Cowry Cards, leading to serpentine queues that added unnecessary delays.
No mechanism for tracking balances
Commuters had no way of knowing their card balances until they attempted to board a bus, resulting in awkward moments and missed trips.
No mechanism for tracking balances
Commuters had no way of knowing their card balances until they attempted to board a bus, resulting in awkward moments and missed trips.
Navigation confusion
With little guidance on bus routes, commuters often relied on word-of-mouth or trial and error to find their way around the city.
Navigation confusion
With little guidance on bus routes, commuters often relied on word-of-mouth or trial and error to find their way around the city.
Limited payment options
The Cowry Card operated on a singular payment system, leaving no room for alternative methods like mobile money or credit cards.
Limited payment options
The Cowry Card operated on a singular payment system, leaving no room for alternative methods like mobile money or credit cards.
Also, in visiting BRT terminals and riding the buses, we observed firsthand the bottlenecks in the system. We noted the sheer inefficiency of manual top-ups (the queues were unreal!) and the anxiety of passengers unsure of their card balances when attempting to board a bus.
Queue for top-ups at a terminal.
Also, in visiting BRT terminals and riding the buses, we observed firsthand the bottlenecks in the system. We noted the sheer inefficiency of manual top-ups (the queues were unreal!) and the anxiety of passengers unsure of their card balances when attempting to board a bus.
Queue for top-ups at a terminal.
Diving in
Personas were developed based on research insights to represent the general focus group – each highlighting key demographics, goals, pain points, and behaviours identified during research. Elizabeth, a market trader, is an early riser whose work depends on efficient commuting. However, long queues to top up her card often disrupt her schedule, limiting her ability to focus on business growth and personal development.
Diving in
Personas were developed based on research insights to represent the general focus group – each highlighting key demographics, goals, pain points, and behaviours identified during research. Elizabeth, a market trader, is an early riser whose work depends on efficient commuting. However, long queues to top up her card often disrupt her schedule, limiting her ability to focus on business growth and personal development.
Hamza, a marketing associate, recently returned to Lagos and struggles with navigating the city’s bus routes. As a professional who frequently moves around, he really needs a way to navigate BRT routes to save time and avoid relying on others for directions.
Hamza, a marketing associate, recently returned to Lagos and struggles with navigating the city’s bus routes. As a professional who frequently moves around, he really needs a way to navigate BRT routes to save time and avoid relying on others for directions.
Emmanuel, a radio personnel, is a regular BRT user who finds it frustrating to wait long hours at bus stops due to a lack of real-time scheduling information. He desires a more predictable commute to improve productivity and minimise delays.
Emmanuel, a radio personnel, is a regular BRT user who finds it frustrating to wait long hours at bus stops due to a lack of real-time scheduling information. He desires a more predictable commute to improve productivity and minimise delays.
Tosin, a YouTuber and makeup artist, uses the BRT occasionally for gigs. Her infrequent travel makes it difficult to track her card balance, causing inconvenience. She would love a system that ensures quick, anxiety-free travel when she needs it.
Tosin, a YouTuber and makeup artist, uses the BRT occasionally for gigs. Her infrequent travel makes it difficult to track her card balance, causing inconvenience. She would love a system that ensures quick, anxiety-free travel when she needs it.
These personas offer a snapshot of the varied commuter experiences, highlighting areas for improvement to enhance efficiency, convenience, and satisfaction – the general theme being:
These personas offer a snapshot of the varied commuter experiences, highlighting areas for improvement to enhance efficiency, convenience, and satisfaction – the general theme being:
Convenience is king, information reduces anxiety and flexibility matters.
Convenience is king, information reduces anxiety and flexibility matters.
I studied transit apps in cities like London (Oyster), New York (MTA), and Singapore (EZ-Link) to identify best practices and features that could be localised for Lagos. Research revealed a number of easily adaptable features and an equal number of complex ones. These features were matched with the identified pain points and distilled into an MVP that could be pushed to the market within a decent timeframe.
MVP features
I studied transit apps in cities like London (Oyster), New York (MTA), and Singapore (EZ-Link) to identify best practices and features that could be localised for Lagos. Research revealed a number of easily adaptable features and an equal number of complex ones. These features were matched with the identified pain points and distilled into an MVP that could be pushed to the market within a decent timeframe.
MVP features
Contactless payments
NFC-enabled Cowry cards and smartphones allow users to tap and pay in under two seconds – ensuring a quick, frictionless boarding experience and reduced reliance on cash.
Contactless payments
NFC-enabled Cowry cards and smartphones allow users to tap and pay in under two seconds – ensuring a quick, frictionless boarding experience and reduced reliance on cash.
Add and manage cards
Naturally, the paramount feature was to enable users to register their Cowry Cards. Once added, they can monitor transaction history, set top-up reminders, and assign nicknames to differentiate cards—for example, “Work Commute” or “Family Card. This empowers users with complete control over their transit expenses and making commuting more convenient.
Add and manage cards
Naturally, the paramount feature was to enable users to register their Cowry Cards. Once added, they can monitor transaction history, set top-up reminders, and assign nicknames to differentiate cards—for example, “Work Commute” or “Family Card. This empowers users with complete control over their transit expenses and making commuting more convenient.
Digital wallet – card top-ups
Long queues at ticket booths are a major pain point. Enabling digital top-ups eliminates this bottleneck, reducing wait times by nearly 50%. Cowry Go+ users can now load funds onto a Cowry card or mobile wallet via the app or the website, and Integration with mobile money and bank apps allow for seamless card recharges.
Digital wallet – card top-ups
Long queues at ticket booths are a major pain point. Enabling digital top-ups eliminates this bottleneck, reducing wait times by nearly 50%. Cowry Go+ users can now load funds onto a Cowry card or mobile wallet via the app or the website, and Integration with mobile money and bank apps allow for seamless card recharges.
Trip history
Cowry Go+ users are provided with a detailed log of their past commutes, including dates, times, routes, and fares deducted. This allows users to track their spending, review their travel patterns, and identify the most efficient routes. The trip data is presented in a clean, chronological format, making it easy to reference and manage transit expenses over time.
Trip history
Cowry Go+ users are provided with a detailed log of their past commutes, including dates, times, routes, and fares deducted. This allows users to track their spending, review their travel patterns, and identify the most efficient routes. The trip data is presented in a clean, chronological format, making it easy to reference and manage transit expenses over time.
Journey planning
The app provides real-time bus schedules, route suggestions, and fare estimates. Reliable information empowers users like Abisola and Emmanuel to plan their commutes confidently.
Journey planning
The app provides real-time bus schedules, route suggestions, and fare estimates. Reliable information empowers users like Abisola and Emmanuel to plan their commutes confidently.
Notification updates
Real-time updates delivered directly to users' lock screens, ensuring they stay informed without opening the app. Notifications include reminders for upcoming trips, low balance alerts and top-up confirmations, among others.
Notification updates
Real-time updates delivered directly to users' lock screens, ensuring they stay informed without opening the app. Notifications include reminders for upcoming trips, low balance alerts and top-up confirmations, among others.
Visual design: Functional simplicty
Minimalism was embraced to cater to a broad user base with varying levels of tech-savviness. A clean sans-serif font ensured readability. The colour palette, a blend of blue (trust) and yellow (energy) mirrored the BRT brand while evoking Lagos’ vibrancy. Finally, simple and universally recognisable icons reduced cognitive load. A few more decisions are highlighted below:
Visual design: Functional simplicty
Minimalism was embraced to cater to a broad user base with varying levels of tech-savviness. A clean sans-serif font ensured readability. The colour palette, a blend of blue (trust) and yellow (energy) mirrored the BRT brand while evoking Lagos’ vibrancy. Finally, simple and universally recognisable icons reduced cognitive load. A few more decisions are highlighted below:
Home screen
Home screen
Card screen (expanded)
Card screen (expanded)
Trip details screen
Trip details screen
Top-up screen
Top-up screen
Planning a journey
Planning a journey
Plan a journey (search results)
Plan a journey (search results)
Plan a journey (directions)
Plan a journey (directions)
To validate the design, I created and shared a high-fidelity prototype with 23 potential users via social media. Users appreciated the simplicity of the top-up and tap-to-pay features. One of the highlights from the tests was the concern of how we would prevent users from adding Cowry cards that don’t belong to them. To tackle this, I added an authentication layer where users are required to provide a unique identifier tied to the card in the form of the last taken on that card.
To validate the design, I created and shared a high-fidelity prototype with 23 potential users via social media. Users appreciated the simplicity of the top-up and tap-to-pay features. One of the highlights from the tests was the concern of how we would prevent users from adding Cowry cards that don’t belong to them. To tackle this, I added an authentication layer where users are required to provide a unique identifier tied to the card in the form of the last taken on that card.
In equal measure, a feature was added to report lost cards. Once reported, the lost card is temporarily deactivated and flagged for further verification, preventing unauthorised use.
In equal measure, a feature was added to report lost cards. Once reported, the lost card is temporarily deactivated and flagged for further verification, preventing unauthorised use.
Another observation during testing was that most users were unaware of the journey planning feature, primarily because it was tucked away in the menu screen. While the intention was to maintain a minimal UI, this placement inadvertently made the feature much less discoverable. Recognising its importance, I repositioned it prominently on the home screen, ensuring users could easily access it.
Another observation during testing was that most users were unaware of the journey planning feature, primarily because it was tucked away in the menu screen. While the intention was to maintain a minimal UI, this placement inadvertently made the feature much less discoverable. Recognising its importance, I repositioned it prominently on the home screen, ensuring users could easily access it.
I also observed that many users were unsure on which number to input from the back of their Cowry Card when adding it to the app. In a quick fix, I added an illustrative guide that mimics the back of the card and highlights the exact location of the required number. The addition was received positively in the second round of usability tests.
I also observed that many users were unsure on which number to input from the back of their Cowry Card when adding it to the app. In a quick fix, I added an illustrative guide that mimics the back of the card and highlights the exact location of the required number. The addition was received positively in the second round of usability tests.
Final reflections
Cowry Go+ redefined the commuting experience for Lagosians. 65% of users reported skipping terminal queues by topping up via the app, and commuters like Hamza found routes 40% faster with the journey planner. Designing Cowry Go+ deepened my appreciation for the complexities of urban mobility. It reinforced the power of human-centred design in addressing systemic challenges and reminded me that even the most chaotic systems can be reimagined with empathy, creativity, and determination.
Final reflections
Cowry Go+ redefined the commuting experience for Lagosians. 65% of users reported skipping terminal queues by topping up via the app, and commuters like Hamza found routes 40% faster with the journey planner. Designing Cowry Go+ deepened my appreciation for the complexities of urban mobility. It reinforced the power of human-centred design in addressing systemic challenges and reminded me that even the most chaotic systems can be reimagined with empathy, creativity, and determination.
Last updated December 2024.
Last updated December 2024.