Kenya’s BasiGo enters fixed-route commuting once targeted by Swvl

BasiGo, a Kenyan electric bus startup, is testing a scheduled commuter service in Nairobi, the country’s capital, adding a new product line alongside its core electric vehicle supply business.

Through its Jenga partnership model, the company has integrated electric mid-sized buses into the operations of local commuter cooperative societies (matatus), offering fixed-route, non-stop connections between residential estates and primary commercial hubs such as  Westlands and Upper Hill.

The move represents an attempt to formalise a notoriously fragmented transit market by using data to close the predictability gap that typically pushes  Kenya’s middle class toward private car ownership. 

It is also a space previously targeted by Swvl, the Egyptian mass-transit startup that entered Nairobi promising app-based, fixed-route buses for office commuters before exiting the market in 2022. 

Like Swvl, BasiGo is betting that structured schedules, digital payments, and guaranteed seating can convert car owners and frustrated matatu users into repeat customers. The difference is that BasiGo is layering this model onto existing Saccos – transport cooperative societies that own and manage matatus – rather than building a parallel fleet from scratch.

“The model is built on data, unlike traditional public service vehicle operations. We collect and analyse customer demand to determine which routes make sense for operators, and with those insights, operators deploy buses on structured schedules,” Moses Nderitu, BasiGo’s Kenyan managing director, told TechCabal. 

BasiGo is betting that reliability and onboard amenities, such as charging ports and a quiet, vibration-free cabin, can decouple the link between professional status and the need to drive into a congested city centre. It is using Jani, its booking platform, to aggregate demand and pre-sell seats.

For commuters from Nyayo Estate to Westlands via the Nairobi Expressway, a seat costs KES 200 ($1.55), while the Mwiki to Upper Hill route costs KES 150 ($1.16).  

BasiGo told TechCabal that about 80% of payments are made through an M-PESA till number, a merchant payment code that allows customers to pay businesses directly from their mobile wallets. The rest pre-book weekly through the app, which guarantees priority seating during peak demand.

Although these fares represent a premium over the KES 80–120 ($0.62–$0.93) typically charged by standard diesel matatus, the direct nature of the service eliminates the need for expensive and time-consuming secondary connections.

For the 90% of riders who are corporate employees, a figure provided by BasiGo, the trade-off is calculated in reclaimed time. The company claims these direct routes can shave up to 40 minutes off a one-way commute.

The service’s financial architecture is designed to de-risk the transition to electric mobility for local operators, who retain 75% of revenue after operating expenses, while BasiGo takes a 20% share.

While the startup provides the technology and data insights, traditional transport players supply the buses, drivers, and day-to-day operations.

BasiGo says approximately 300 unique weekly riders currently use the three-bus pilot, maintaining an average occupancy rate of 80%, suggesting strong product-market fit despite limited scale.

Swvl’s earlier push demonstrated both the demand for structured commuting and the difficulty of sustaining margins in a price-sensitive market characterised by volatile fuel costs and inconsistent demand. 

BasiGo is competing with the door-to-door convenience of ride-hailing platforms such as  Uber and Bolt, as well as the established dominance of diesel-powered executive shuttles. 

The company said it plans to add 10 more buses over the next 12 to 24 months, though expansion will depend on vehicle delivery timelines and the rollout of charging infrastructure.