Electric mobility company Spiro has revealed why Rwanda has become its largest market in Africa despite Nigeria being the continent's biggest motorcycle market. According to the company's inaugural 2025 Sustainability Report, Spiro had deployed approximately 22,000 electric motorcycles and over 600 battery-swapping stations in Rwanda by the end of 2025, while Nigeria had about 5,000 electric motorcycles.

The difference highlights that market size alone does not determine where electric vehicle companies choose to invest. Instead, Spiro says factors such as government support, infrastructure, manufacturing capacity, and battery-swapping networks play a significant role in shaping its expansion strategy.

According to Spiro Group CEO Anant Badjatya, Rwanda benefited from an earlier market launch and a policy environment that encouraged electric mobility. The company entered Rwanda in 2023, a year before launching operations in Nigeria, giving it additional time to build charging infrastructure and expand its customer base.

Badjatya noted that Rwanda's government has introduced policies that support electric vehicle adoption, including incentives and coordinated urban planning in Kigali. These measures enabled the company to scale its battery-swapping infrastructure much faster than in many other African markets.

Nigeria, however, presents a different opportunity. Rather than focusing solely on expanding the number of motorcycles on the road, Spiro says it is investing heavily in building long-term industrial capacity through local vehicle assembly, battery recycling, and manufacturing infrastructure to support future growth.

The company's operations also reflect these different priorities. While Rwanda has reached a more mature stage of deployment with thousands of motorcycles already in operation, Nigeria remains in its development phase, requiring greater investment in supporting infrastructure before large-scale expansion.

Looking ahead, Spiro believes Nigeria has the potential to become one of its biggest markets. The company plans to continue investing in battery-swapping infrastructure, local manufacturing, and strategic partnerships to support future growth. It also intends to expand into additional African countries, including Ethiopia, Malawi, Mali, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, as it works toward operating in around 20 markets across the continent.

Spiro says its experience demonstrates that the success of electric mobility depends on more than population size. Supportive government policies, reliable infrastructure, favorable rider economics, and sustained investment remain key factors in accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles across Africa.