Intercity online bus booking platform AfriKonekta was named the second-best bus booking ticketing app at the 2023 Mobile App Awards in Nairobi, Kenya on Wednesday. It emerged second, after Iabiri and BuuPass, at number three.
AfriKonekta Mobility Oy is a Finnish startup company that is based in Helsinki and was founded by Tichaona Dande and Pekka Möttö. While Dande is from Zimbabwe and currently lives in Finland, Möttö is a Finnish citizen. Dande moved to Finland in 2015 to pursue further studies in International Law, Global Politics, Business Administration, and Development studies completing three Masters’ degrees.
The competition, which attracted numerous participants, honored the best mobile apps on iPhone, Android, and Windows Phone. It consists of various categories, such as Best Agri App, Best Insurance App, Best Radio App, and Best Financial App, among others. “AfriKonekta was nominated for two categories; BEST Parcel Booking APP and BEST Bus Ticketing App and emerged a GOLD Winner in the ‘BEST on Demand Delivery App’ or Parcel Booking AND SILVER Winner in the ‘Best Bus Ticketing App’,” AfriKonekta CEO Tichaona Dande said.
“We emerged ahead of BuuPass in the bus booking, with Iabiri emerging as the gold winner.”
It comes just barely three months after the firm launched its services in the country. Due to its affordable booking charges of as low as $1, the app, for a short period of time, has attracted numerous travelers and parcel services, targeting SMEs, online sellers, and person-to-person (P2P) delivery services. Now, AfriKonekta is averagely doing about 800 tickets daily. It has also served over 110, 000 customers so far through its various booking platforms, which are the website or the app.
AfriKonekta targets long-distance bus operators with routes from Nairobi to other towns and vice versa. Now, it is covering over 37 destinations (Mombasa, Moyale, Nakuru, Malindi, Busia, Sori, Bungoma, Butere, Siaya, Homabay, Kapenguria, L.Turkana, Bondo, Kisii, Oyugis, Migori, Usenge, Luanda, Ukwala Port, Mumias, Kitale, Mbale, Malaba, Kakuma, Nyamira, Kakamega, Eldoret, and Kisumu, among others).
The network comprises 1,000 trips per day, 282 stops, and over 1,126 signed-up vehicles, ranging from 7 to 62 seats. Already, the startup has signed about twenty (22) bus operators, such as Msamaria Mwema, Nya Ugenya, Salama Bus, Transline Kemera Sacco, Promise Buses, We Travellers Sacco, and Eldoret Express, among others.
“As a start-up, this win is a testament of our impact in the market and the great potential that awaits AfriKonekta,” Dande added. “This prestigious accolade is a springboard for AfriKonekta to further elevate our current market position and deliver greater value to our distinguished customers.”
Dande earlier said that the platform seeks to build a connected Africa with broader and deeper regional and continental integration. “Our team is on a mission to build Africa’s first super-app with the goal to make cross-border travel, parcel delivery, urban and intercity mobility more connected, affordable, safe, and sustainable across regions and the entire continent,” he said.
“Our long-term strategic goal is building a unique travel super app replacing 20-plus single purpose apps, thus giving delightful travel experience in Africa. Our integrated services will give AfriKonekta a wider usability even when you are not travelling, making it sticky.”
Through this, it plans to sign up more players, launch operations in Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Rwanda by early next year to expand its East Africa connectivity and continental coverage, and strengthen its inventory of partner operators.
AfriKonekta Mobility Oy is a Finnish startup company that is based in Helsinki and was founded by Tichaona Dande and Pekka Möttö. While Dande is from Zimbabwe and currently lives in Finland, Möttö is a Finnish citizen. Dande moved to Finland in 2015 to pursue further studies in International Law, Global Politics, Business Administration, and Development studies completing three Masters’ degrees.
