E-mobility grows to $108m sector in Kenya

By Maria Macharia, Kenya Correspondent
Johannesburg, 02 Feb 2026
E-hailing platforms, such as Uber and Bolt, currently contribute more than $108 million a year to the Kenyan economy.
E-hailing platforms, such as Uber and Bolt, currently contribute more than $108 million a year to the Kenyan economy.

E-hailing platforms, such as Uber, currently contribute more than Sh14 billion (US$108 million) a year to the Kenyan economy.

A government technology advisor commended the contribution, encouraging these companies to increase their initiatives to have a greater impact on unemployment, and enhance driver and partner opportunities.

Philip Tigo, special envoy on technology, spoke after meeting with a delegation led by Imran Manji, Uber's Head of East Africa, in Nairobi over the weekend.

Tigo stated that the meeting aimed to enhance green mobility and platform innovation in Kenya.

“It is encouraging to see a strong focus on sustainable urban mobility, local innovation and the role of digital platforms in supporting Kenya’s broader economic transformation and climate ambitions,” he added.

Tigo said the government was committed to collaborations as it shaped the East African country’s future of mobility and platform-driven growth.

While several apps have emerged, Uber is widely credited as the first major international e-hailing service to launch in Kenya, starting in Nairobi in January 2015, rapidly changing the local transport scene with app-based rides and cashless payments.

The National Transport and Safety Authority currently recognises 14 licensed e-taxi apps in Kenya.

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