There are many reasons people choose to use

bicycles as transportation in West Africa.

Four main categories of bicyclists (youth,

entrepreneurs, racers, and tourists) stand

out and each one benefits from expanded

opportunities in unique ways. Better access

to education and healthcare, business

ventures, competition and comraderie, and

the opportunity to explore new places are all

worth the potential risks of bicycling on West

African roads.



1. Youth

Children and young adults (mostly girls)

receive bicycles through non-government

organizations who want to help improve

the next generation’s access to education

and healthcare. In Burkina Faso alone,

several local and international organizations

provide bicycles to girls and young women

so that they can bike the 30 kilometers often

necessary to reach a junior or high school

institution. Likewise, the bicycles make

healthcare more accessible, reducing travel

times for patients and doctors who would

otherwise walk.

2. Entrepreneurs

Individuals and small business owners

realized decades ago that investing in a

bicycle might increase their earnings.

A free bicycle program in Burkina Faso

sponsored by CooP-Africa (Cycling out

of Poverty) collaborates with community

development initiatives such as solid waste

management programs. Recipients of bicycles

from Bike2Clean's Solid Waste Management

Program can earn money by collecting and

sorting waste on their cargo bikes, then

transporting the “goods” and garbage to

repositories.



3. Racers

In West Africa, racers often belong to a

country’s national bicycle federation. These

federations not only organize races, but also

spearhead bicycle events for local residents.

While some may see these racers as a bit elite

on the streets of some of the poorest countries

in the world, in Sénégal their passion drives

them to engage people from all sectors of

society. This commitment is evident in

Dakar’s bicyclist club motto: “A bicycle for

everyone.” Their passion has the potential to

boost the number of commuting and hobby

bicyclists across the region.



4. Tourists

Bicycling is now a hot tourism activity for

people from many European countries,

the U.S., and Canada. Bicycle tourists find

an increasing range of amenities within

and between West African countries. For

example, Burkina Faso has a strong local

bicycling culture, even in its busy capital

of Ouagadougou, where most major

thoroughfares have separate motorbike and

bicycle lanes, some with their own traffic lights.