Intercity online bus booking platform AfriKonekta emerged second-best bus booking ticketing app in the country in the just concluded 2023 Mobile App Awards in Nairobi.
The platform secured the second position in the bus booking ticketing app category, followed closely behind by Iabiri and BuuPass, who claimed the top spots.
The Helsinki-based mobility platform targets long-distance bus operators in Nairobi by enabling travellers to reserve seats online.
The recognition comes just barely three months after the firm launched its services in the country.
According to AfriKonekta CEO Tichaona Dande, the competition, which attracted numerous participants, honored the best mobile apps on iPhone, Android, and Windows Phone.
“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’,” said AfriKonekta CEO Tichaona Dande.
Before setting up in Kenya, the company which was established in 2021, says it had to understand the specific needs of Kenyan operators, as well as passengers thus the six-months pilot, where the company sold 45,000 tickets.
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, the platform primarily focuses on long-distance bus operators, offering routes between Nairobi and more than 37 other destinations.
With a network comprising 1,000 daily trips, 282 stops, and over 1,126 registered vehicles ranging from 7 to 62 seats, AfriKonekta has already partnered with around twenty-two bus operators, including 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. This prestigious accolade is a springboard for AfriKonekta to further elevate our current market position and deliver greater value to our distinguished customers,” Dande added.
The platform seeks to build a connected Africa with broader and deeper regional and continental integration.
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.