The National Youth Service (NYS) has partnered with Uber and GreenWheels to train 342 NYS servicemen and servicewomen in e-mobility skills and connect some graduates to electric motorcycle driving opportunities, the organisations said in a joint news release dated 18 August 2026.

According to the statement, the first cohort completed a two-week E-Mobility Driver Training Program at the NYS Camp MTB in Nairobi and received certification in e-mobility-related skills. The milestone was marked at a graduation ceremony at NYS Headquarters, presided over by NYS Deputy Commandant General, Operations and Logistics, Nicholas J. Makokha, HSC.

The partners said 110 graduates from the first cohort are transitioning to become GreenWheels drivers on a lease-to-own model, with Uber supporting their onboarding onto the platform. The statement added that Uber and GreenWheels have co-funded 50% of initial onboarding costs for the inaugural class, splitting the support equally, in an effort to reduce barriers created by upfront compliance and onboarding fees.

The initiative comes as Kenya’s transport and logistics sectors increasingly test electrification, particularly in two- and three-wheeler segments where operating costs and urban pollution concerns are shaping business decisions. Electric boda deployments have also drawn interest from financiers and fleet operators exploring asset-backed models, including leasing structures that can help riders access vehicles without full upfront payments.

In the release, Imran Manji, General Manager for Uber East Africa, said the partnership is aimed at bridging the gap between training and income generation. “Young people need more than skills; they need pathways to turn those skills into meaningful economic opportunities. By working with NYS and GreenWheels, we are helping graduates move from training into practical earning opportunities while also supporting the growth of electric mobility in Kenya,” Manji said.

Makokha urged graduates to apply the newly acquired skills to support livelihoods as they leave the Service. He “congratulated the graduates for successfully completing the program and encouraged them to use the skills acquired to build sustainable livelihoods, embrace available opportunities and work towards financial independence as they exit the Service,” the statement said.

Beyond driver placement, the organisations said their collaboration has expanded to cover recruitment and placement of EV drivers; technical staffing for EV assembly, servicing, maintenance and compliance; industrial attachment and apprenticeship opportunities; EV technical training and certification; and capacity building for trainers and technical personnel.

The partners said the programme is expected to run until the end of the year, with approximately 100 NYS graduates projected to transition into GreenWheels driving opportunities every three months.

For the Kenyan market, the announcement signals a growing focus on workforce readiness for electric mobility as firms move from pilot projects to scaled operations. If the transition targets are met, the pipeline could help fleet operators address two common constraints in e-mobility rollouts: the availability of trained riders and technicians, and the affordability of onboarding and compliance costs for young entrants.

Next milestones will likely include the onboarding progress of the first 110 graduates onto Uber through GreenWheels and the cadence of subsequent cohorts as the programme approaches its year-end timeline, as outlined in the statement.

KCB Bank Kenya, the Matatu Owners Association (MOA) and ePureMotion on July 14, 2026 launched a public service vehicle (PSV) electric vehicle (EV) charging station site in Nairobi’s Buruburu Estate, positioning the facility as a pilot to support Kenya’s transition to electric public transport.

According to a media brief from the partners, the Buruburu site is intended to move the collaboration from policy commitments to operational infrastructure, while linking financing, sector coordination and charging services for matatu operators and saccos.

The launch builds on a KCB-MOA partnership announced in 2024 in which the bank committed to financing public transport modernisation. The partners said this includes access to asset finance and insurance premium finance for matatu saccos to upgrade their fleets, subject to credit assessment, documentation and approval.

The development comes as the government pushes electric mobility adoption. The media brief noted that in February the government launched the National Electric Mobility Policy, which it said provides a framework for promoting electric mobility technologies, building supporting infrastructure and fostering investment in the sector.

Kenya’s public transport sector remains heavily dependent on fossil fuels. The partners cited that public transport “utilises about 72 per cent of the petroleum products imported into the country,” underscoring the potential business impact of electrification on fuel import demand and operating costs. The brief also pointed to grid availability, stating that “nearly 90 per cent of energy” is generated from clean sources including geothermal, solar, hydro and wind.

Juliana Kinyua, Acting Unit Head, Asset Finance & Insurance Premium Finance at KCB Bank Kenya, said the activation aligns with the bank’s financing role in the sector’s transition.

“KCB’s partnership with the Matatu Owners Association is about unlocking practical financing pathways that allow the public transport sector to modernise at scale. The launch of this PSV EV charging site in Buruburu demonstrates how financing, infrastructure and sector coordination with partners such as ePureMotion can come together to support cleaner, more efficient and more affordable mobility for Kenyans,” Ms Kinyua said.

MOA President Albert Karakacha said the initiative is designed to place matatu owners and saccos at the centre of the EV transition, linking members to financing, infrastructure and training.

“The matatu industry has always been the backbone of everyday mobility in Kenya. Through this collaboration with KCB and implementation support from ePureMotion, MOA is taking a deliberate step to ensure that our members are not left behind in the transition to electric mobility,” Mr Karakacha said.

Under the arrangement described in the brief, MOA will coordinate and mobilise the matatu sector, identify participating saccos and operators, and support member readiness. ePureMotion, an electric vehicle company based in Nairobi, will provide charging stations and related support services, including maintenance, spare parts and training, and said it plans in future to offer electric matatus and digital tools for operators.

For Kenya’s business landscape, the Buruburu charging site signals incremental progress in building the enabling infrastructure needed for electric PSVs—often seen as a critical bottleneck to fleet conversion. If the model proves operationally viable, it could accelerate demand for asset financing products, insurance premium finance, charging infrastructure investment and local servicing capacity, while creating new opportunities for route-based electrification partnerships in Nairobi and other urban centres.

The partners said the Buruburu site will serve as a learning point for PSV EV operations, including charging processes, daily vehicle readiness checks, service scheduling and operator training. They expect insights from the pilot to inform selection of future charging sites and support rollout across other high-potential matatu routes and Sacco locations.