Future of electric mobility lies in ownership not monopolies

Smart electric car charging at a power station in Paris, France. [Getty Images]

Kenya stands at an important moment in its clean energy transition. From innovations such as ethanol cooking fuel to electric motorcycles, households continue to change their way of cooking just as riders are changing the way they earn a living. But as recent developments have shown, innovation alone is not enough. Market structure matters.

The exit of KOKO's ethanol fuel model from the Kenyan market has sparked renewed debate. While public reports indicate that regulatory challenges, including issues around carbon credit licensing, contributed to its departure, there is a broader structural lesson about dependency and market concentration.