Spiro’s production in Uganda to begin in June

From the newsletter

Spiro, Africa’s largest e-motorcycle assembler, is set to commence electric motorcycle production in Uganda this June. The company will manufacture e-motorcycles, home chargers, and battery-swapping stations at a new facility currently 80% complete. Developed through a joint venture, the plant will have an annual production capacity of 50,000 units.

• Just last week, the company inaugurated a similar facility in Nairobi (see the image above), dedicated to producing both chargers and electric motors. With this move, Spiro is redefining local manufacturing, pioneering a closed-loop supply chain that strengthens East Africa’s electric mobility ecosystem. 

• East Africa is emerging as the leading market for electric motorcycles, outpacing West Africa in adoption and infrastructure. Despite its initial focus elsewhere, Spiro has made significant investments in the region—raising the question of whether it is positioning itself to dominate the East African market.

More details

• Spiro launched its operations in Uganda in July last year, and Africa’s fastest growing e-mobility company is showing no signs of slowing down as it strengthens its production capacity across the continent. Since securing $50 million in funding in May last year, Spiro has established a production plant in Kenya with an annual capacity of 50,000 units and is currently constructing a facility twice that size in Nigeria.

• Spiro’s move to localise production contrasts with its competitors. Until now, most competitors—such as Zembo and GOGO—have concentrated on deployment and partnerships without fully integrating the value chain. According to Uganda’s Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, GOGO leads with 1,650 active e-motorcycles, followed by Spiro with over 1,100, and Zembo with more than 775 units on the road.

• At present, Spiro operates 22 battery swapping stations in Uganda, which results in a concerning ratio of approximately 50 motorcycles per station. However, by establishing local manufacturing for electric swapping stations, Spiro is poised to rapidly expand charging infrastructure and, in turn, boost demand.

• Spiro’s strategy encompasses financing, battery swapping, and now local assembly—managed either in-house or through strategic partnerships. This integrated approach creates significant operational efficiencies and raises the bar for competitors, who will need to make similar investments or risk losing market share to a more capable rival.

• Earlier this month, Spiro partnered with Airtel to tackle a key bottleneck in Uganda’s boda boda economy: access to financing. The agreement enables riders to acquire motorcycles via a USSD code, a key move in a country with 76% mobile penetration but limited access to formal credit.

• Uganda’s electric motorcycle market is no longer a wide-open playing field—it is rapidly consolidating. Spiro’s aggressive rollout, local investment, and full-stack ecosystem mark the end of the “pilot phase” for electric mobility in the country. The market is now entering an era where scale, integration, and financial capability will determine long-term survival. Smaller startups and donor-funded pilots may soon need to choose between remaining niche or aligning with larger players.

Our take

• Unless rivals like Zembo or GOGO can develop similar backend capabilities, they risk being excluded from future growth funding rounds or government-supported initiatives. Spiro’s infrastructure investments create a structural barrier that competitors must match to stay competitive.

• With plans to deploy over 140,000 units in Uganda by 2028, Spiro is prioritising scale over margins. This high-volume approach allows for aggressive or subsidised pricing, as the company spreads costs across a much larger customer base.

• Spiro’s commitment to local manufacturing embeds the company deeply into Uganda’s mobility infrastructure. It sends a clear message to investors, the government, and the market about the company’s intention to not just sell but also make its motorcycles locally.