Kenya has unveiled a nationwide electric vehicle (EV) charging programme worth 6 billion Kenyan shillings (around €39.5 million), aiming to build at least 10,000 public charging stations by 2030.
The initiative, part of the country’s National Energy Compact 2025–2030, is designed to accelerate EV adoption and close infrastructure gaps that have hindered growth outside the capital, Nairobi.
According to the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum, the plan will be implemented in three phases. The first stage allocates 1.18 billion shillings to install charging stations across 17 priority cities and major transport corridors, including the Mombasa–Busia route.
A further 1.81 billion shillings will be used to expand the network to 23 additional cities, followed by 3.13 billion shillings to connect district capitals and satellite towns. Charging stations are planned every 25 kilometres along the country’s main highways.
Kenya Power, the national utility company, will lead the rollout and install 45 fast-charging stations during the first phase in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, Eldoret, and Nyeri. The government’s financing model also encourages private sector participation to scale up infrastructure development.
The move builds on Kenya’s broader push toward vehicle electrification. Last year, the government announced plans to transition its fleet — including police vehicles — to electric models at a rate of 1,000 units per year. Meanwhile, local manufacturer BasiGo recently celebrated the delivery of 100 electric buses across Kenya and Rwanda and was named the official service partner of Chinese battery giant CATL. The new charging network is expected to significantly boost such initiatives and reduce vehicle downtime across the country.
