What stands out about Kenya's e-mobility reality and potential is not any single intervention, but the alignment between policy, infrastructure, and financing, each reinforcing the other. Writes Brian Njao, General Manager, M-KOPA Mobility.
The African e-mobility market is in a rapid commercial growth stage, which accelerated significantly between 2020 and 2021.
The industry has matured from a collection of well-meaning targets into a $2.8 billion powerhouse projected to reach $7 billion by 2028. The projection represents a massive continental shift, and Kenya is breaking through as its fastest-growing market in the two-wheeler segment. Its leading position is driven by a successful alignment between government support and private-sector investment. With a proven model in play, the opportunity now lies in scaling this blueprint across the rest of the continent.
The transformation is not the result of siloed efforts but rather a robust stakeholder ecosystem, forged through strategic collaborations between the government, local manufacturers, ride-hailing platforms, and innovative financial institutions. Kenya has managed to align these diverse players towards a common vision and a common good, creating an environment conducive to rapid adoption and scalable solutions.
The Kenyan government, for instance, has been unequivocal in its commitment to e-mobility. By slashing import duties and taxes on electric vehicles, they have effectively narrowed the price gap with internal combustion engine counterparts, making electric alternatives more accessible to the mass market. This bold policy move has attracted over 25 Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), including Roam, Ampersand, RhingGo and Spiro, which offer electric bike models designed for Kenya's terrain and commercial use patterns.
Equally crucial has been the government's investment in grid readiness and electrification. With a national electrification rate nearing 90%, the region has established a high-density battery-swapping network, which is a clear game-changer for the sector. The energy-as-a-service model addresses a primary hurdle for batteries and charging infrastructure, which accounts for a significant portion of an electric motorcycle's upfront cost.
This industry-led solution moves the battery from a product a rider owns to a service they subscribe to, enabling riders to swap a depleted unit for a fresh one in less time than it takes to fill a petrol tank. The government is targeting to further strengthen this segment of the sector even further with the installation of 10,000 public charging stations by 2030.
Integrating this infrastructure with innovative financing solutions has been the secret sauce behind e-mobility success. In 2025, motorbikes financed by M-KOPA in partnership with Bolt, Roam, Ampersand, and Spiro sold out as soon as they became available.
As the country’s leading financier in the sector, M-KOPA has used its pioneering pay-as-you-go (PAYG) model to open access to electric motorcycles for the informal sector. By turning these vehicles into productive assets and aligning payments with riders' daily incomes, M-KOPA has lowered the barriers to entry, unlocking a vast, untapped market.
The impact of these measures is palpable on Nairobi's streets, where electric two-wheelers now account for half of all bikes on the road. Riders who have made the switch are reaping tangible benefits. M-KOPA customers are saving an average of $5 per day in fuel costs, a figure that translates into genuine improvement in their livelihoods. Affording a five-day working week instead of seven for the same income, or using savings to fund better education for their children.
The Kenyan experience offers a useful reference point for other African markets. What stands out is not any single intervention, but the alignment between policy, infrastructure, and financing, each reinforcing the other. Replicating this progress elsewhere will depend on how well these elements can be adapted to local conditions, rather than copied wholesale.
Across the continent, the transition to cleaner, more affordable transport remains both an economic and environmental imperative. Kenya’s progress suggests that with the right mix of incentives, investment, and coordination, meaningful change is within reach and scalable.
