Bolt and the Mombasa County Government have launched a programme to help 400 delivery riders obtain formal licences, creating a pathway for experienced riders to gain recognised qualifications, improve compliance and access more sustainable employment opportunities.
The programme will use Kenya’s Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) framework, which allows workers to have skills gained through practical experience assessed and formally recognised. Enrolled riders will complete 21 days of accredited training through a certified driving school before receiving their licences from the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), based on their demonstrated competency.
Bringing Experienced Riders into the Formal Economy
The initiative is expected to have a wider impact on Mombasa’s transport sector by helping experienced riders move from informal work into a more structured and regulated system. For riders who have developed their skills through years of practical experience but lack formal qualifications, the programme provides a recognised route to licensing.
The partnership follows a memorandum of understanding signed between Bolt and the Mombasa County Government in January 2026. Under the agreement, the two parties are working to improve compliance and safety in the transport sector, support youth employment and help transport businesses adopt digital platforms.
The programme comes as Kenya continues to deal with the challenge of formally recognising and regulating its large motorcycle and app-based delivery economy. More than 2 million riders are active in the country’s boda-boda sector, according to a 2025 parliamentary report, making it an important source of employment. However, many operators remain improperly documented or lack professional training.
Mombasa County Governor Abdulswamad Shariff Nassir said the programme demonstrates how public-private partnerships can address practical challenges facing residents.
“Our partnership with Bolt demonstrates the value of public-private collaboration in delivering practical solutions that improve the lives of our residents,” he said. He added that recognising the skills riders already have while giving them a clear path to licensing supports the county’s vision of a “competitive, inclusive and future-ready Mombasa.”
Bolt has committed KES 1.5 million ($11,591) to support the partnership. The funding will go towards rider and driver compliance, training and licensing, as well as the digitisation of transport businesses across the county.
Data and Technology to Support Transport Planning
The partnership also extends beyond licensing. Bolt will share trip and demand data with the county government, which is expected to help officials understand transport patterns and make better infrastructure decisions. This could include identifying suitable locations for electric-vehicle charging points as the county considers the future of cleaner transport.
Benjamin Sulle, public policy manager at Bolt, said the programme is intended to address the gap between the skills riders already possess and the formal recognition available to them.
“This is a deliberate policy intervention to correct a long-standing imbalance between the skills thousands of young riders already have and the formal recognition the system has never given them,” Sulle said. He stressed that riders must demonstrate certified competency before receiving a licence, which is why participants will complete 21 days of accredited training.
The programme comes at a difficult time for Kenya’s mobility sector, where rising fuel costs have placed pressure on drivers and riders. In May, Bolt increased ride-hailing fares in Kenya by 6% after higher fuel prices pushed up operating costs. Petrol prices in Nairobi had reached KES 197.60 ($1.53) per litre following the April fuel-price review, while ride-hailing drivers had staged protests and threatened strikes over rising costs and low fares.
Against this backdrop, Bolt and Mombasa County say the partnership is also aimed at creating a more compliant and sustainable transport ecosystem for riders and local businesses.
Arthur Gacharia, senior operations manager, Rides, Kenya, said the investment reflects Bolt’s commitment to Mombasa’s plans for a safer and technology-enabled transport sector.
“By working together to promote compliance, empower riders, and help local businesses embrace digital opportunities, we are investing in the long-term growth and resilience of the county’s economy,” Gacharia said.
Bolt has also continued to expand its digital services. In July, the company integrated its ride-hailing service with ChatGPT, allowing users across Africa and other global markets to book rides through OpenAI’s chatbot.
For Mombasa’s delivery riders, however, the immediate opportunity is more direct: turning existing experience into formal qualifications that can improve safety, strengthen compliance and create access to broader economic opportunities.
