Survey Finds Majority of Nairobians Oppose Proposed Ride-Hailing Minimum Fare

By Samson Kurgat | NAIROBI,

 

A new survey by TIFA Research has found that a majority of Nairobi residents oppose the proposed government minimum fare for ride-hailing services, citing the rising cost of living and concerns that higher fares would further strain household budgets. The survey shows 59 per cent of ride-hailing users view the proposed policy negatively, compared with 39 per cent who support it.

 

 

The findings indicate that households are already under significant economic pressure, with 81 per cent of respondents saying rising living costs or constrained incomes are among their biggest challenges. Sixty-two per cent specifically cited the high cost of living, including transport, fuel, food and education, while 19 per cent pointed to constrained incomes, poor business performance or unemployment.

 

TIFA says the economic pressure is reflected in strong concern over rising prices, with 81 per cent of respondents saying they are very concerned about increasing costs of everyday essentials such as fuel, groceries, rent and transport. The survey notes that households have limited capacity to absorb further increases in the cost of essential services.

 

 

The survey also found that 60 per cent of ride-hailing users would switch to alternative means of transport if fares increased significantly. Forty-four per cent said they would use matatus more often, while others would reduce their use of ride-hailing services, switch to cheaper options or adopt other forms of transport. Only 18 per cent said they would continue using ride-hailing services as usual.

 

On fare regulation, 63 per cent of respondents said ride-hailing fares should be determined by market competition, compared with 33 per cent who favour government regulation. TIFA says the preference for market-driven pricing remains broadly consistent across age and gender groups.

 

The research further shows that ride-hailing has become an important part of residents’ daily economic and personal activities, including commuting, business travel, shopping, errands and social activities. However, only 27 per cent of respondents were aware of the proposed minimum fare before taking part in the survey, suggesting limited public awareness of the policy.

 

 

The survey was conducted among 733 adults in Nairobi County through face-to-face household interviews between July 17 and 21, 2026. TIFA says the study has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.18 per cent.