Ride-hailing company Bolt is marking 10 years of operations in Kenya after investing more than Sh19 billion in the market.
The company says more than eight million riders have used its platform since it entered Kenya in 2016.
The company in a statement said its operations have created income opportunities for more than 170,000 drivers and couriers.
Bolt now operates in six regions and 19 towns across Kenya. These include Nairobi, the Coast, Western Kenya, the Central and North Rift, and the Mt Kenya region.
Bolt’s entry into Kenya came as the country’s ride-hailing market was emerging. Over the past decade, app-based transport has become part of Kenya’s wider digital and gig economy.
A 2026 Bolt Kenya and Ipsos Gig Economy Report released in March estimates that Kenya’s gig economy supports about 1.5 million workers and generates more than Sh130 billion annually.
The study also examined the impact of ride-hailing on workers’ livelihoods.
It found that 98 per cent of ride-hailing participants surveyed reported an improvement in their standard of living after joining the platform. Of these, 54 per cent described the improvement as significant.
The report puts average monthly earnings for drivers on the Bolt platform at Sh63,000. The top 20 per cent earn up to Sh184,000 a month.
Boda boda riders earn an average of Sh56,000 a month, according to the report.
It also found that 53 per cent of drivers surveyed identified Bolt as their main source of income.
Ride-hailing accounts for about 20 per cent of gig economy activity in Kenya, according to the report. This makes it the second-largest category after e-commerce.
Bolt Senior General Manager for Rides, East Africa, Dimmy Kanyankole, said the company had seen ride-hailing evolve during its 10 years in Kenya.
“Over the past decade, we have seen ride-hailing evolve from a new technology into an important source of income and economic opportunity for thousands of Kenyans,” Kanyankole said.
He said the company would continue investing in Kenya and expanding opportunities created through technology.
Bolt says its more than Sh19 billion investment in Kenya has supported technology infrastructure, driver support programmes, safety initiatives and expansion.
Its operations have also contributed to businesses linked to app-based mobility, including vehicle financing, insurance, smartphone sales, data consumption, vehicle servicing and maintenance.
The company has also increased its focus on electric mobility.
Bolt says seven in every 10 electric vehicles operating in Kenya in 2026 do so on its platform.
The company attributes this to its investment in electric vehicle adoption and driver incentive programmes.
It says it has also supported access to electric and lower-emission vehicles through partnerships aimed at making electric vehicle ownership more accessible to drivers.
Bolt says it plans to continue investing in driver welfare, safety, product development and sustainability. It also plans to expand access to electric and lower-emission vehicles and increase its presence in secondary cities.
