SWVL plans to use Nairobi to set motion its expansion to other cities in Africa and the world. The bus hailing platform recently injected KSh1.5 billion into its Kenyan business, hoping to increase its route offering.
Additionally, the company plans to establish its footprint in various continents, replicating its success stories from Nairobi and Egypt.
Speaking in an interview with the Kenyan Wallstreet, SWVL CEO Mostafa Kandil revealed that the company plans to expand to Lagos at the end of the year.
“We are planning to expand to Lagos, Abidjan, and even Johannesburg to solve the transport problem in emerging markets,” added Mr. Kandil.
“We have accomplished so much in Nairobi in such a short time”, he said, comparing the Nairobi’s uptake to SWVL’s performance in other cities.
The company’s Co-founder also lauded Nairobi’s progressive take towards the company, thanks to a young tech-savvy population.
Additional investment to fuel employment
SWVL’s additional investment will not only support the government in providing high-quality public transport but also create employment opportunities.
Mostafa revealed that the bus hailing company has agreements with the Egyptian Government and 2 local banks. The strategic agreements will help provide employment and allow people to buy buses to lease to the service. He believes that it would suite well if the company replicates such agreements in Kenya.
Speaking of employment opportunities, the CEO shared that the company will be on the lookout for local App developers. Besides, he expressed SWVL’s interest to work with people who have an understanding of the local market. That will enhance the company’s services in Kenya.
The bus-hailing service plans to introduce a corporate platform in the Kenyan scene. The platform will allow companies to ferry their employees to and from work using SWVL’s buses. Furthermore, SWVL will later launch customer packages which will allow frequent riders to book monthly rides on a discount.
