Buupass is building the digital backbone for Africa’s transport network

Buupass, a digital mobility platform out of Kenya, is on a mission to digitize Africa’s transport and logistics sector. The company has just onboarded 13 new transport operators, a major step in its plan to become the go-to platform for moving people and goods across the continent. This expansion covers key routes in East Africa, from the bustling Nairobi-Mombasa corridor to frontier towns bordering Ethiopia and South Sudan, and even international routes to Tanzania, Rwanda, and Burundi.

The Digital Transformation of African Transport

For many of the new operators partnering with Buupass, this marks a significant leap from traditional, paper-based systems to a fully digitized platform. According to the company, this transition is having an immediate impact. Operators are reportedly seeing a 20-25% increase in ticket sales through online and mobile channels, and a reduction in cash leakages by up to 30%.

“This is what it means to move from paper to platform,” says Sonia Kabra, Co-Founder and co-CEO of Buupass. “By digitizing sales and operations, we’re helping operators fill more seats, move more parcels, and cut cash leakages.”

The shift to digital is not just about efficiency; it’s also about providing better services to passengers. “Partnering with Buupass means passengers can book anytime, anywhere – and we can deliver convenience at every step,” explains Mark Onsanse, CEO of Team Swat Shuttles, one of the newly onboarded operators.

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From Pen-and-Paper to AI-Powered Platform

Buupass has developed a modular Bus Management System that allows for the seamless onboarding of operators of all sizes. The platform provides real-time insights, cashless payment systems, and even AI-powered demand forecasting to help operators optimize their routes and sales strategies.

The impact of this technology is already being felt by operators like Janam Express. “Buupass made it easy for us to manage our new business,” says David Ongoro, Owner/Director of the company. “Within a month of onboarding, we saw a clear difference in sales compared to when we were operating manually.”

Pan-African Ambitions

This expansion is part of Buupass’s larger vision to create a connected, multimodal transport network across Africa. The company is focusing on three key areas: strengthening major transport corridors, digitizing frontier routes, and expanding its parcel delivery services.

Looking ahead, Buupass has ambitious plans to integrate flights, accommodation, and even micro-insurance services into its platform, positioning itself as a comprehensive travel solution for the African market.

“Our vision is to be the digital infrastructure powering Africa’s transport sector — making the movement of people and goods seamless, multimodal, and scalable,” Kabra explains.

As Africa’s transport sector continues to embrace digital technology, Buupass is positioning itself at the forefront of a transformation that could reshape how people and goods move across the continent.