inDrive revives Super App debate
FI
Home Pakistan's long-running debate over the viability of a "Super App" model has resurfaced as inDrive moves to expand its platform beyond ride-hailing into groceries, delivery, and other digital services. The move revives questions that have followed earlier attempts in the country, particularly whether Pakistan's market structure, consumer behaviour, and payments ecosystem can support a unified digital platform offering multiple everyday services under one app. The earlier failures in Pakistan were not due to the concept itself, but to flawed sequencing and weak foundations, said Nurken Rzaliyev, Head of Q-Commerce Services at inDrive, in an exclusive interview with The Express Tribune. "Super apps fail when platforms try to do too many things at once," Rzaliyev said. "You need one strong core service that people already trust and use frequently. Without that, everything else becomes fragmented. Expansion has to be built on daily behaviour, not ambition." Rzaliyev argued that Pakistan's digital market is structurally different today compared to the period when earlier Super App attempts struggled. Smartphone usage has expanded, consumers are more accustomed to online shopping, and the digital payments infrastructure has improved. Systems such as Raast, along with private fintech platforms, have increased transaction reliability and accessibility, particularly in urban centres.
Published: January 25, 2026 1:14 am
Source: The Express Tribune — Read original