At a Glance
- Proparco invests in BasiGo to expand East Africa’s electric bus network.
- Funding supports low-emission transit, job creation, and cleaner urban mobility.
- BasiGo plans 1,000 buses, scaling local assembly and charging infrastructure.
Proparco, the French development finance institution, has invested in BasiGo, the Nairobi-based electric bus operator expanding services across Kenya and Rwanda.
The funding is aimed at boosting clean public transportation in rapidly growing African cities, where demand for low-emission mobility is rising.
The move aligns with the AFD Group’s wider commitment to sustainable transport, which channels roughly €1 billion ($1.1 billion) annually into global mobility projects. For Proparco, the investment underscores its focus on solutions that improve urban mobility while addressing climate concerns.
Electric buses gain ground in East African cities
BasiGo’s growth comes as East African cities face mounting pressure to modernize public transport, ease traffic congestion, and reduce pollution.
Electric bus adoption is already underway in Nairobi, Kigali, and Lagos, attracting interest from global investors looking for climate-conscious opportunities.
Proparco has a history of funding projects in cities such as Dakar and Bogotá, supporting private operators through partnerships that replace diesel fleets with cleaner, more efficient buses.
Investing in local green mobility
Jean Guyonnet-Dupérat, Proparco’s regional director for East Africa, said the investment aims to provide reliable, low-emission transit for tens of thousands of commuters. “Locally assembled electric buses reduce emissions, improve air quality, and create skilled jobs,” he said, noting that the move supports sustainable development goals and Paris Agreement commitments.
BasiGo CEO and co-founder Jit Bhattacharya said the funding signals confidence in the region’s clean mobility market. “This support validates both the economics and environmental impact of electric buses,” he said. “It allows us to scale local assembly, expand our charging network, and move closer to our goal of deploying 1,000 buses.”
Backing homegrown innovation in green mobility
Founded in 2021, BasiGo has quickly become one of Africa’s fastest-growing electric bus companies. It currently operates 100 electric buses across Kenya and Rwanda and has built a model that combines local assembly, charging infrastructure, and a financing system that allows operators to switch from diesel without heavy upfront costs.
The company says its vehicles reduce CO₂ emissions by 70% to 90% compared with diesel models, a key selling point as African governments race to curb pollution and improve urban air quality.
Proparco, a subsidiary of the AFD Group, finances private-sector projects across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and Eurasia. Its investments prioritize climate resilience, job creation, and technologies that support the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
For East Africa, the partnership signals growing confidence in homegrown e-mobility companies capable of transforming how millions move through rapidly growing cities.
