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Transition to Carbon-Neutral Freight Transport: A Case of Electric Boda Boda in Nairobi

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Boda boda (two- and three-wheeler motorcycles) are a popular and one of the fastest growing modes of freight transport in the Nairobi City County, Kenya. Apart from freight, they are widely used to transport people. According to Kenya’s Economic Survey, the number of newly registered boda boda increased by 16.2% from 271,425 in 2015 to 252,601 in 2020. It is estimated that there are 50,000 boda boda in the Nairobi City County, most of which operate using an internal combustion engine (ICE). Since they run on fossil fuels, ICE motorcycles globally contribute to 11 billion tonnes of CO2 emissions. According to a study by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority of Kenya, from the year 2013, boda boda contributed more to annual CO2 emissions than light duty vehicles.