Uber-rival Bolt opens Africa Head office in Nairobi

The head office located in Riverside Drive will serve as a regional hub for the firm’s operations in Africa and also host its top executives, including; the Regional Director and Interim VP for Rides, Regional Manager for Ride-hailing, East Africa, Regional Marketing Manager, Africa, Senior Head of Public Policy and Legal Director for Africa.

Since its big round in January 2022 ($709M), the ride-hailing global firm has been serving more consumers, adding more partners and establishing new business lines. Currently, Bolt has a growing workforce of over 500 individuals looking after its operations, growth and excellence in the region, creating earning opportunities for more than 400,000 drivers in more than 70 cities in Africa.

Bolt’s passenger numbers in Africa have surged since its big round in January 2022 ($709M), offering multiple services (including private hire drivers, electric scooter rentals and food delivery). By charging drivers only 15% commission (almost half of that taken by other ride-hailing operators), the ride-hailing company has accepted more than 400,000 drivers in more than 70 cities in Africa on its platform.

Commenting on the office’s opening, Bolt Regional Director and Interim VP for Rides, Paddy Partridge, noted that the investment is significant in strengthening the firm’s presence in Africa as a region considering the country’s strategic location and infrastructural infrastructure advancement.

“This investment is strategic for us, as it will enable us to run and coordinate operations seamlessly across Africa in an integrated manner.”

He added, “This is just the beginning, and we hope it enables us to develop a cohesive model for sustainable cities engagement that will help improve city services and urban transportation for the millions of people in the region.”

The Regional Director added that the office would provide the company access to the great COMESA regional markets they are keen on expanding to.

“Kenya’s strategic location in the region and the infrastructure has enabled us to grow tremendously in the East African market. We believe we can leverage this to achieve more across the entire continent still.”

Bolt currently operates in seven African countries (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa and Tunisia) but did not have a centralised African office before now.

The Estonian mobility company joins the list of global tech firms, including Google and Microsoft, to set up hubs and labs in the Kenyan capital as they race to tap into the African market.