Regional exchange: Electrifying minibus operations in East Africa

Worldwide efforts to electrify transportation have left the paratransit sector largely unnoticed. While the electrification of smaller capacity vehicles, such as 2- and 3-wheelers, is gaining momentum in Africa and Asia, minibuses and higher capacity vehicles are still widely regarded as particularly difficult to electrify.

The current push towards formalization of paratransit services and introduction of mass transit systems, coupled with the increasing strategic priorities and policies to promote electric mobility in East African countries, represent fertile ground for initiating discussions and establishing the enabling conditions for the electrification of minibuses services.

In this process, Academia must play a leading role to inform all stakeholders involved. The first studies on minibus electrification prospects have been published, with a predominant focus on South Africa. There is thus the need for a better understanding on the technological, operational, organizational and regulatory requirements for a just transition to electric minibuses that address the similar, but unique, conditions of the paratransit minibus sector in almost every African country.

In this first-of-its-kind regional exchange on minibus electrification, we will bring together decision-makers from government bodies, researchers and scientists from academic institutions in the region, and experts to discuss how to work together to modernize the minibus sector throughout the continent.

This event is being organized by GIZ’s IKI-funded Mobilize Net-Zero Project in cooperation with VREF, MobiliseYourCity and the Transformative Urban Mobility Initiative (TUMI).