Roam secures financing deal with Mogo to grow electric motorcycle adoption

Roam, a Kenyan-based electric mobility company, has secured a partnership with Mogo, an asset financier in East Africa, to boost the adoption of electric motorcycles in the East African country. The financing package will first be accessible to riders in Nairobi.

According to Roam, the partnership also increases the transition to electric motorcycles from traditional motorcycles. Motorcycle riders, popularly known as boda boda riders, are expected to increase their daily earnings by 30%.

Roam told TechCabal that it is the largest provider of electric motorcycles putting out the largest volumes in Nairobi targeting boda boda riders and B2B providers. For riders participating in the deal, Mogo will offer financing at a rate of KES 25,000 deposit, and a daily repayment of KES 682 for 24 months. The package includes a motorcycle, battery, charger, and two helmets and vests.

“At Roam, our mission is clear, we want to provide the best and most affordable electric motorcycle to the market and Mogo is a great partner in accelerating that mission,” said Mikael Gånge, Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer of Roam.

Kenya boasts of about 3 million boda-boda riders according to James Macharia, the minister of transport. The United Nations also estimates that about 5 million Kenyans get their income from riding motorcycles. However, the Kenyan government is keen on converting most of the fuel-based motorcycles to electric.

President William Ruto had on September 1, 2023, launched a national e-mobility programme which has three-wheeled tuk-tuks, or auto rickshaws the focal point of a transition to green transportation. Kenya’s National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) plans to convert 2-3 million boda bodas to being electric by 2030.

Raul Leitis, business development project manager at Mogo said the deal with Roam will go beyond Kenya to the rest of the continent and electric motorcycles will surpass fuel motorcycles in no distant time.

“We see that the electric motorcycle market is ever expanding and with Roam’s innovative products that enable customers to not only charge at home but also at the Roam Hubs, we believe the electric motorcycle market will eventually become larger than the petrol one,” Leitis said.