Nairobi-based entrepreneur Jit Bhattacharya’s BasiGo secures $1.5-million grant from USAID

BasiGo, a Kenyan e-mobility start-up led by Nairobi-based entrepreneur Jit Bhattacharya, has secured a significant boost in the form of a $1.5-million grant from The United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

The funding, granted through the agency’s Development Innovation Ventures program, is earmarked to support BasiGo’s pilot program in Kigali, Rwanda, focusing on showcasing the cost-efficiency and viability of electric buses in collaboration with some of Kigali’s largest bus operators.

The grant announcement coincides with BasiGo’s revelation that its first two electric buses, designated for Rwanda, have already arrived in East Africa and are en route to Kigali.

BasiGo CEO and Co-Founder Jit Bhattacharya expressed gratitude for the financial support from USAID, emphasizing its role in accelerating the public transport electrification plan in Rwanda.

“We believe our Pay-As-You-Drive solution will enable Kigali bus operators to rapidly scale the number of electric buses within their fleets. We look forward to working with USAID and the Rwandan government to create the future of clean electric public transport in Rwanda,” Bhattacharya stated.

BasiGo, established in 2021 by Jit Bhattacharya and Jonathan Green, aims to revolutionize Kenya’s public transportation sector by providing a cost-effective electric alternative to diesel, positioning East Africa as a global leader in clean and affordable electric bus transit.

The startup’s electric buses have already covered over 850,000 kilometers, transported more than 1.1 million passengers, and mitigated approximately 400 tonnes of CO2 since March 2022. The first batch of BasiGo’s Electric Buses is set to undergo road testing in Kigali in November, with passenger operations on various bus routes to follow shortly thereafter.

Notably, the pilot electric buses will be operated by Kigali Bus Service, Royal Express, and Volcano. BasiGo offers comprehensive charging and maintenance services through its innovative Pay-As-You-Drive model. BasiGo has also partnered with AC Mobility to integrate its Electric Bus financing platform into Kigali’s Tap-and-Go fare collection system, prevalent in most public transport buses.

Through the pilot program, BasiGo and USAID aim to showcase the technical performance and financial competitiveness of Electric Buses in the Rwandan market, with the goal of scaling the Electric Bus fleet in Kigali to 200 buses by 2025. The Government of Rwanda, in line with its recent initiative, aims to rapidly expand the size of Kigali’s public transport fleet, concurrently targeting the conversion of 20 percent of the public bus fleet to electric by 2030.