Kenya’s electric mobility pioneer, BasiGo, has secured fresh financing from Proparco, the French development finance institution, in a move set to supercharge the company’s push to scale clean public transport across Africa.
The investment follows BasiGo’s recent US$41.5 million Series A round, positioning the company for aggressive growth after already deploying 100 electric buses across Kenya and Rwanda.
BasiGo CEO and co-founder Jit Bhattacharya described the investment as “a powerful endorsement of the future the company is building for African cities,” adding that since 2021, BasiGo has proven that electric buses offer “stronger economics for operators while avoiding CO₂ emissions and delivering a comfortable experience for passengers.”
Proparco said its backing aligns with its broader mission to deploy climate-friendly, job-creating infrastructure in developing regions.
Regional director Jean Guyonnet-Dupérat said the partnership helps “unlock a new generation of clean, reliable mass public transport solutions” across the continent.
What BasiGo Does
BasiGo is transforming public transport in Africa by providing state-of-the-art electric buses alongside a full-service ecosystem that includes charging infrastructure and maintenance.
Its innovation lies in its financing model, that is, operators can acquire buses while paying separately for the battery and charging through a pay-as-you-go arrangement.
This structure removes the high upfront cost that typically blocks adoption of electric mobility and makes electric buses immediately financially viable for mass transit companies.
The company also assembles its buses locally, ensuring affordability, local job creation, and strong after-sales support.
Traction and Milestones So Far
In just a few years, BasiGo has achieved milestones that position it as a top electric mobility player in Sub-Saharan Africa. The company has:
- Deployed 100 electric buses across Kenya and Rwanda,
- Built and operated multiple charging stations,
- Created a scalable maintenance and operations framework,
- Demonstrated lower operating costs for bus companies through fuel and maintenance savings,
- Raised more than US$41.5 million prior to this latest Proparco investment.
Its model has proven with real-world data that electric buses reduce emissions significantly, strengthen operator economics, and enhance passenger experience, results that align with growing demand for clean, modern public transport in African cities.
Market Expansion and Plans for the New Funding
The new funding unlocks BasiGo’s next growth phase:
- Scaling local bus assembly to dramatically increase supply,
- Expanding its charging network across key African cities,
- Accelerating its roadmap toward deploying 1,000 electric buses,
- Supporting entry into additional African markets beyond Kenya and Rwanda.
Bhattacharya noted that the investment is a “catalyst for the next phase of growth,” enabling BasiGo to build the continent’s most robust electric transit infrastructure.
Proparco reaffirmed that the investment fits its commitments under the Paris Agreement and the Choose Africa initiative, recognizing BasiGo’s ability to deliver economic, environmental, and social impact at scale.
Why This Matters
BasiGo’s growth stands at the intersection of climate action, urban mobility, job creation, and technological innovation. Africa’s public transport sector, serving millions daily, remains heavily dependent on diesel, contributing significantly to urban pollution and climate emissions.
By offering a cost-effective electric alternative, BasiGo is helping cities transition toward cleaner air and more sustainable transport systems.
Fact-based indicators underscore the importance:
- Transport accounts for up to 30% of urban CO₂ emissions in major African cities.
- Electric buses can cut emissions by up to 90% per vehicle, depending on grid sources.
Local assembly helps strengthen domestic manufacturing and supports quality job creation, as highlighted by Proparco.
As Guyonnet-Dupérat emphasized, BasiGo’s work “improves air quality, cuts emissions, and supports quality jobs”, a combination that positions it as a leading force in Africa’s transition to clean mobility.
Talking Points
BasiGo’s latest funding round signals far more than business growth, it reflects a critical turning point for Africa’s public transportation landscape.
The company’s model proves that clean mobility in Africa is not only possible but economically sound, directly challenging long-held assumptions that the continent must lag behind in modern transit innovation.
By coupling local assembly with pay-as-you-go financing, BasiGo dismantles the biggest barriers to electric bus adoption and positions African cities as active creators, not passive recipients, of sustainable technology.
The Proparco investment is therefore not just a financial boost; it is an international validation of Africa’s capacity to build scalable, future-forward infrastructure.
Yet, the real test lies ahead, whether BasiGo can replicate its early success at a thousand-bus scale, navigate unreliable power grids, and maintain affordability for operators.
Still, its traction so far suggests a rare blend of vision, practicality, and impact, one that could fundamentally reshape how the world views African-led climate and mobility innovation.
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