Jit Bhattacharya, the Co-Founder and CEO of Kenya-based BasiGo, is reshaping public transport in Nairobi through a novel “Pay‑As‑You‑Drive” model. The company assembles electric BYD buses locally and plans to deploy 1,000 vehicles across Kenya and Rwanda by 2026. Bhattacharya has built a strategic partnership with Kenya Power to develop charging depots on major matatu (local bus) routes, enabling up to 250 km of daily range with minimal disruption. Supported by a $10 million DFC loan and partnerships with Kenya Vehicle Manufacturers and African banks, BasiGo is making electric buses competitive with diesel alternatives: offering lower operating costs, improved reliability, and nearly 20,000 passenger journeys per bus under real-world conditions. Bhattacharya’s scalable model offers a blueprint for bus fleet electrification in African cities and should inspire further replication. Coming from a background in rechargeable (lithium-ion) batteries for more than 12 years Bhattacharya brings engineering expertise from previous roles at d.light, Ampersand, and Apple.
Valerie Labi, Co-Founder and CEO of Wahu Mobility, is enabling affordable e-mobility for delivery riders through an innovative “ride-to-own” model. Wahu manufactures electric bikes in Accra with dual-swappable batteries (140 km range) and partners with platforms like Glovo and Bolt to guarantee a steady workflow. Riders pay instalments (~$30/week) and benefit from electricity costs of just $13.60/month, compared to around $250 for petrol-powered bikes. With $8 million in investment and over 300 riders already on board, Labi aims to deploy 100,000 e-bikes across Ghana by 2030, with at least 15% operated by women. Her work demonstrates how local manufacturing and inclusive financing can unlock clean mobility in the gig economy, reduce emissions, and empower female entrepreneurs in Africa’s growing green economy.
Alex Munene is a prominent voice in East Africa’s e-mobility shift, known for launching Kenya’s first EV driver and technical training programmes through his Nairobi-based Advanced Mobility Centre. With nearly two decades of experience, he supports public and private stakeholders in building technical capacity for EV adoption. His bold goal is to train 25,000 road users in five years, scaling toward 250,000 continent-wide. A certified trainer and frequent speaker at conferences such as Smarter Mobility Africa, he collaborates with institutions like Strathmore Business School and Kenya Power to drive workforce development for the e-mobility sector in Kenya and beyond.
Africa’s e-mobility push is being driven largely by the private sector, but public leadership is crucial. Wamkele Mene, for instance, as Secretary-General of AfCFTA, plays a pivotal role in harmonising trade and regulatory frameworks that enable EVs to scale across borders. Without such public-sector coordination, national initiatives risk stagnating or achieving only limited impact.
These leaders are just a few among the thousands shaping Africa’s clean mobility future. Their efforts are targeting the three pillars essential to success: infrastructure and finance, local product innovation, and workforce readiness. Scaling e-mobility requires demands building entire ecosystems and as these changemakers deploy electric buses, empower riders, and build skills, they are laying the foundations for a sustainable mobility revolution across Africa.
Reference List
https://advancedmobility.co.ke/alex/
https://www.ewiainvestments.com/de/post/wahu-mobility-das-triple-impact-e-bike-aus-ghana-wird-k%C3%BCnftig-mit-solarstrom-produziert
https://mcj.vc/inevitable-podcast/basigo
https://www.thinkenergymedia.com/valerie-labi-builds-electric-bikes-in-ghana/
https://www.theguardian.com/business/article/2024/jul/30/ebike-entrepreneur-valeria-labi-if-i-see-a-problem-and-i-think-it-can-be-solved-i-follow-that-thread
https://techcabal.com/2024/10/23/basigo-raises-41-million/
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