Kenyan start-up BuuPass hits milestone of 30 million tickets sold in Africa

The Kenyan travel booking start-up BuuPass reached a historic milestone in 2025. According to information reported by TechCabal, the company has sold more than 30 million transport tickets and processed a transaction volume exceeding $100 million. Now active in five African countries, the young venture has established itself as a key player in the digitization of transport on the continent.

The journey began in 2016 under the name Magic Bus, a student project led by Sonia Kabra, Wyclife Omondi, Iman Cooper, and Leslie Ossete. After winning the prestigious Hult Prize and $1 million in funding in September 2016, the founders launched a phone-based booking service for private minibuses in Nairobi. However, faced with the realities of the sector, the team quickly pivoted to intercity travel by partnering with major carriers like Easy Coach.

It was by analyzing the operational flaws of its partners that BuuPass found its true added value. Noting that carriers managed their bookings on paper and suffered significant financial losses due to poor tracking, the start-up developed integrated management software. This tool encompasses digital ticketing, points of sale, and inventory management, transforming carriers from simple suppliers into clients of technological solutions.

This digitization of available seats has allowed BuuPass to distribute tickets through its own channels as well as via telecommunications giants such as M-PESA, Vodacom, and MTN. Despite the turbulence of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, which paralyzed passenger transport, the company demonstrated resilience by launching a parcel delivery service to diversify its revenue, reaching financial break-even as early as 2021.

Our perspective

The success of BuuPass demonstrates the ability of African entrepreneurs to design technological solutions adapted to local realities. By structuring the informal transport economy through digital means, the start-up does not just generate value; it strengthens regional integration and facilitates citizen mobility, thereby laying the foundations for increased economic sovereignty and connectivity for the continent.