How digital platforms are creating new pathways for youth, with riders taking home up to Sh70,000 monthly
According to the Federation of Kenyan Employers (FKE), youths aged 15–34, who form 35 per cent of the population, face an unemployment rate of 67 per cent, far higher than the national average of 12.7 per cent.
Digital platforms in Kenya’s growing e-commerce space are increasingly offering hope to thousands of jobless youths, with some riders now taking home up to Sh70,000 in a good month.
As formal employment opportunities continue to shrink, many young people are turning to delivery and boda boda services linked to tech platforms to create their own paths to stability, purpose, and financial progress.
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The shift comes at a time when Kenya’s youth unemployment crisis remains alarming.
According to the Federation of Kenyan Employers (FKE), youths aged 15–34, who form 35 per cent of the population, face an unemployment rate of 67 per cent, far higher than the national average of 12.7 per cent.
Additionally, data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) shows that as many as 3.5 million young Kenyans are jobless and not in school.
Across Africa, the challenge is just as grave. FKE notes that the continent hosts nearly 200 million people aged 15 to 24, a category that makes up 40 per cent of the workforce, and 60 per cent of the unemployed active labour force.
Against this tough backdrop, digital platforms in delivery and e-commerce are emerging as one of the few bright spots.
They are arguably enabling young people to plug into fast-growing sectors, earn consistent incomes and meet personal and family goals that would otherwise remain out of reach.
One such story is that of 28-year-old Emmanuel Mutoro, who is in his third year as a rider with the delivery firm Glovo.
His journey reflects how tech-enabled gig work is helping young Kenyans carve meaningful livelihoods even without formal employment.
Before joining the platform, Mutoro worked in security and struggled to see a clear path forward. “Life was hard and expenses were high,” he recalled.
Motivated by the need for a more stable future, Mutoro had long aspired to be a driver and even completed National Youth Service (NYS) training as a plant operator.
But with limited opportunities available, he saved modestly, secured a motorbike through a loan service, and eventually signed up with Glovo.
The platform provided him with essential starter equipment, a reflector, phone holder and helmet while also ensuring he had insurance and a valid riding licence.
The work has since transformed his life. Mutoro says his greatest achievement has been supporting the education of his siblings.
He proudly shares that most of them have completed school and are beginning to find their footing.
With only one sibling left to support, he now hopes to buy land and build a stable future.
Mutoro’s income reflects the potential of the sector; from a gross of about Sh85,000 in a good month, he takes home approximately Sh70,000, keeping expenses at about Sh15,000.
He also values the freedom the platform offers. Mutoro notes that being a rider has reduced his stress levels and says he feels supported by the digital systems around him.
The ability to choose his working hours has given him control over his time, although the job still comes with challenges such as high fuel costs and fears of being dispatched to risky areas, especially at night.
His experience arguably mirrors that of many others venturing into e-commerce, a sector that experts say is set for double-digit growth in the coming years.
Mobile technology expansion is at the heart of this transformation.
Jumia’s East Africa regional CEO Vinod Goel says the country’s e-commerce adoption hovers at around 3-4 per cent, and the pace is set to reach double figures in the next two years.
Reports put the country’s e-commerce penetration at about 46.7 per cent as of early this year, and it is projected to grow to 53.6 per cent by the end of the year, according to the Competition Authority of Kenya.
Mutoro has a message for digital platforms operating in the country. He categorically urges them to continue strengthening their support for riders at every step, acknowledging that “boda boda” keeps them going and helps a lot.
For young people considering joining the sector, his advice is anchored in responsibility and financial discipline.
“When they succeed in the work, they should know how to use money.”
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