Free two-day shipping has become so common in e-commerce today, it’s changed how we buy online. We often don't realize how much we expect it until it's not there. But for most of the world fast delivery is not possible, it's very expensive, and it's often unreliable. In Africa, this comes down to the Last Mile of delivery. How is this holding back the growth of business in otherwise booming places like Kenya and Nigeria? And how have China and Indonesia already begun to solve for it?

Historically, most informal entrepreneurs have struggled to grow their businesses. They don't have a credit history, so they struggle get a bank loan. Today, however, smartphones are changing things, and opening up a world in which side hustles are more viable than ever. But how much have things really changed? Host: Damian S Milverton Voices you hear on this episode: Lucy Anne Wanjiku Mbugua, entrepreneur and admin assistant Juan Seco, Jumia Chief Operating Officer Jimmy Kipbichii, clothing designer Miriam Wambui, HR consultant Michelle Hassan, BFA Country Manager Simon Gichuhi Njuguna, WTS Husla, Businessman Daniel Yu, Sokowatch CEO Ash Amin, BFA Senior Associate

Young people in Africa were told that they were destined for office jobs and full-time salaries. But the economy doesn't have enough of those jobs to go around. Instead, the jobs people are getting—and sometimes preferring—are different kinds of gig work, i.e., an Uber/Lyft driver. Gig work is often easier to get, offers more flexible hours and locations, and lets you log in and out with the tap of an app. But what are the dangers of this new future of work, i.e., without benefits or job protections? Is it a race to the bottom for the lowest-income workers? Host: Damian S Milverton Voices you hear in this episode: Anne Gachoka, BFA Associate Miriam Wambui, HR Consultant Wangechi Kinuthia, student Georgia Wandia, student Maryanne Wangare Muthoni, student David Porteous, BFA Founder and Chair Nzisa Waki, Lynk Pro, Massage Therapist Jonathan Otieka Were, Lynk Pro, tiler, floor installer, and sander Johannes Degn, Lynk Cofounder Daniel Kivuti Gichoni, Ubereats delivery person Olga Morawczynski, Mastercard Foundation Program Manager Jane del Sur, FIBR Deputy Director

The Gig is Up is a three-part podcast series discussing the global gig economy covering everything from the disruption of Uber and Bolt to the challenges of Jumia in Africa and the ubiquity of Amazon. Brought to you by BFA and Quartz Africa. Brought to you by BFA and Quartz Africa.