Kenya’s gig economy is no longer a fringe part of the labour market. It is becoming a major source of income, opportunity and economic resilience for thousands of people, especially young Kenyans seeking flexible and reliable ways to earn a living.
At the centre of this shift is ride-hailing platform Bolt, which says its role in Kenya goes far beyond moving people and goods from one point to another. For the company, the bigger mission is helping to build livelihoods, develop skills and create a more inclusive digital economy.
Speaking in an interview with the Star, Bolt Director for Public Policy for Africa and Latin America, Kenneth Anye, said the company sees itself as a partner in shaping a stronger and more sustainable gig economy in Kenya and across Africa.
“My role is mostly to ensure that we work with policymakers to develop a policy framework that supports the sector,” he said.
But he was quick to add that Bolt’s work goes beyond policy conversations with the government.
“At Bolt, we see it as more than just policy conversations. We see it as bringing all the stakeholders together and engaging with them and building a more meaningful sector that can deliver on addressing the challenges we're focusing on,” he said.
For Bolt, Kenya has become one of the most important and dynamic gig economy markets on the continent. Anye said the company currently has more than 50,000 drivers and courier partners operating on its platform in Kenya, earning income and supporting their families.
Yet the company’s impact cannot be measured only by the number of people directly using the app to work, he said.
“When people think about Bolt, they think about transport. But when we think about Bolt, we think about livelihood, which spreads into the larger economy," Anye said.
He said the earnings generated by drivers and couriers often flow into households, rent payments, school fees, small businesses and investments, creating what he describes as a much wider economic ripple effect.
“It creates a lot of financial opportunities,” he said. “It has a bigger impact beyond just the drivers themselves.”
For Bolt,
transport is not simply a service. It is part of what Anye called a broader
“supply chain of livelihoods”.
“Transportation is a key area where we're actively involved. The UN has recognised transport as one of the key enablers of development, and we're contributing to that by introducing and integrating technology to enhance and advance the sector further,” he said.
Kenya’s growing digital culture has made it a fertile ground for platform-based work. Anye said one of the biggest reasons Kenya stands out is its deep embrace of digital tools.
“When discussing Kenya's technological achievements, M-Pesa, the mobile money platform, stands out as one of the country's most prominent innovations,” he said.
“But beyond mobile money, Kenya boasts one of the highest rates of mobile penetration on the continent.”
CONDUCIVE ENVIRONMENT
That digital readiness, combined with a youthful and tech-savvy population, has created strong conditions for gig work to thrive.
“Kenya has a young, tech-savvy population that is actively looking to harness technology as a means of building sustainable livelihoods,” he said.
Recent data appears to support that growth. Anye cited research commissioned by Bolt and conducted by Ipsos, which estimates Kenya’s gig economy at about $1 billion (Sh129 billion). Within that ecosystem, ride-hailing has become one of the largest contributors.
What is perhaps most striking is how permanent gig work is becoming for many Kenyans.
“Some 53 per cent of the driver partners who responded to the gig economy survey said they consider ride-hailing as their main primary source of income,” he said.
For many, this is no longer a temporary stopgap between jobs. It is a career and a legitimate earning opportunity that people are deliberately choosing to pursue.
That finding challenges one of the biggest misconceptions about gig economy workers.
“The first
misconception is that gig work is temporary,” Anye said.
“The data reflects this clearly, 53 per cent of drivers view this as a long-term, permanent source of income for themselves.”
He also pushed back against the idea that platform workers are unskilled.
“The second misconception is the assumption that these drivers are unskilled. That characterisation is simply not accurate,” he said.
Instead, he said, drivers and courier partners are constantly developing new and transferable skills.
“Strong customer service skills are a natural outcome of this work, and the platform provides the tools and resources to support that growth,” Anye said.
Bolt also helps workers strengthen their financial literacy and digital skills.
“They are also gaining financial literacy, a critically important skill. They learn how to manage their finances and navigate the various technology tools available in the financial sector.”
For many young workers, the platform also provides something traditional employment often cannot: flexibility. Anye recalled a conversation with one young graduate during a recent ride.
“Just this morning, I took a ride with a driver who had completed his university education. For him, this work offers flexibility, the freedom to set his own schedule, without being dependent on a fixed employer’s paycheck.”
That freedom, he said, can offer a stronger sense of financial autonomy. “That financial autonomy is very important.” Bolt also says it is helping workers build entrepreneurial mindsets.
“The third skill set drivers are acquiring is entrepreneurship. They are learning how to build and run a business, and how to leverage the necessary tools to do so,” Anye said.
“What we are fostering goes beyond simply providing an earning opportunity. We are actively nurturing and supporting entrepreneurs.”
As the company looks to the future, one area of focus is electric mobility.
Bolt has introduced electric two-wheelers and electric vehicle options in Kenya as part of efforts to lower operating costs and reduce dependence on fuel.
Anye believes the shift is about more than environmental sustainability. It is also about preparing workers for the next phase of transport.
“All of our drivers and courier partners on the platform are gaining the skills to operate and maintain electric vehicles, a capability that is increasingly vital as that is clearly the direction the industry is heading,” he said.
“This shift also stands to address one of the most pressing challenges drivers face: rising fuel costs. The strain that fuel prices have placed on drivers has been significant, and it is a reality we are very much aware of.”
Bolt recently increased prices by six per cent to respond to cost pressures, but Anye described that as only a temporary measure. For Bolt, electric vehicles could provide that long-term solution.
“From our perspective, current measures are only transitional. What is truly needed is deeper, more structural transformation. EVs are not reliant on petrol, which means they can effectively shield drivers from the volatility of fuel prices.”
Still, the company says balancing driver earnings and customer affordability remains one of the most delicate parts of its business model.
“When fuel prices surge, demand inevitably falls, and when demand falls, driver earnings suffer. The goal is to create a sustainable balance that works for everyone: a win-win where drivers thrive, and passengers have a reliable, affordable solution to the urban transport challenges they face every day.”
INCLUDING WOMEN
Beyond economics, Bolt says inclusion is one of its biggest priorities, especially increasing the number of women in the sector. At present, female participation remains low.
“The recent Ipsos survey shows that women currently make up only about 3 per cent of our driver base, a figure we view with concern and are committed to improving.”
Anye acknowledged the barriers many women face.
“Several barriers contribute to this gap: safety concerns, social norms that challenge women's presence in the transport sector and limited access to financing for vehicle acquisition,” he said.
“To tackle these challenges, Bolt is investing in safety technology and targeted solutions, one of which is a women-for-women category specifically designed to connect female passengers with female drivers.”
He stressed that creating safer systems requires more than technology alone.
“A supportive policy environment is essential, which is why we actively engage with policymakers to help shape a framework that enables this progress,” he said.
“Safety, in particular, must be a shared responsibility, one that involves platforms, users and government alike. It is a fundamental priority from a policy standpoint, and while significant work has already been done to address safety challenges, there is still more to be accomplished”
SHAPING POLICY
Bolt’s collaboration with regulators is also central to how it sees the future of gig work.
Kenya already has ride-hailing regulations, introduced in 2022, which Bolt says was an important first step.
“Kenya’s 2022 ride-hailing regulation was a positive and important first step. Bolt complies fully with all aspects of that regulation, but the company believes policy must continue to evolve.
For Bolt, compliance is not the finish line, it is the baseline. “The goal is to go beyond what is merely required.”
Bolt wants to help shape policies on safety, earnings and Driver Partner welfare, while preserving what many drivers value most: independence.
“The majority of drivers have expressed that flexibility and independence are their top priorities. They want to be their own bosses and operate on their own terms,” Anye said.
Bolt believes that the data and experience it has accumulated can help the government design more effective support systems, and the company positions itself as a willing partner in building a sustainable environment for the sector.
“After nearly a decade of operating in Kenya, one lesson stands out above all others: This is not simply about transport, it is about livelihood,” Anye said.
The true measure of success, he said, will be how many more people can access opportunity through the platform in the years ahead.
“With a gig economy valued at $1 billion (Sh129 billion), the ambition is to see it grow, and that requires working closely with policymakers to build a well-protected and enabling policy environment. Equally important is ensuring that women are a greater part of this journey. A key five-year goal is to see significantly more women operating on the platform. That is a priority the company is firmly committed to.”
As Kenya's digital economy expands, Bolt is positioning itself as more than just a transport company; it is a platform actively shaping the future of work.
For thousands of driver and courier partners, that transformation is already deeply personal. It represents income, flexibility and the acquisition of valuable skills. And increasingly, it is becoming a clear and tangible path toward long-term economic independence.
