In Africa, motorcycles aren't just vehicles—they're lifelines. Affordable, agile, and accessible, these two-wheeled wonders have revolutionized how people move and make a living. Cheaper than cars, buses, or taxis, they slice through traffic like a goat on a narrow market path, turning congested streets into personal highways.
More than just transport, motorcycles are economic engines. For countless young entrepreneurs, a single motorbike is a ticket to independence—a mobile business that can deliver goods, ferry passengers, and generate income with minimal startup costs.
In this ride through Africa's motorcycle culture, we'll explore the colorful nicknames these machines have earned across different countries.
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We want to hear your local lingo—drop your motorcycle's street name and join the conversation!
Boda Boda (East Africa)
The most populous border point in East Africa happens to be the Busia border point between Uganda and Kenya.
The name originated from a need to transport people across the 'no-mans-land' between the border posts without the paperwork involved with using motor vehicles crossing the international border. This started in the southern border crossing town of Busia (Uganda), where there is over two kilometres between the gates and quickly spread to the northern border town of Malaba (Kenya). The bicycle owners would shout out /boda-boda/ (border-to-border) to potential customers.
The name became so widespread in the whole East African region (Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania) that it was added to the Oxford Dictionary.
PS: In Nairobi's streets, the Senke motorcycle rode so far into local culture that its name became Sheng slang for 'motorcycle' itself.
Zemidjan (Benin)
In the local Fon language of Benin, motorcycles are known as ‘keke’, and so, when potential passengers would want to call a motorcycle, they’d say, “Kekeno!”, whereby the ‘keke’ as we’ve said, is the motorcycle, and ‘no’ means ‘owner of’.
However, over time, their name has changed to become ‘zemidjan’, which in the Fon language, means, ‘get me there quickly’. This has become their informal name, since they are trusted to take people over short distances in a very short time.
Okada (Nigeria)
In the year 1983, one Chief Gabriel Igbinedion - a Nigerian businessman and philanthropist, who is also the Esama of Benin – founded the Okada Airlines. This was the first ever private airline in Nigeria, and it was named after the town where Chief Gabriel hailed in Nigeria.
When it started, it would only operate charter flights, serving nine local airports in Nigeria. But gradually, it began expanding its operations, including taking pilgrims to their destinations. Ten years later, it was granted the right to operate international flights. This opened it up to many destinations such as London and Dubai.
However, Okada Airlines flew close to the sun, and just like Icarus, it met its fall, in the year 1997, due to financial difficulties and regulatory challenges. Despite that, its legacy had to be carried on, as a testament to Nigerian entrepreneurship and innovation.
Thus, when motorcycle taxis were introduced in Nigeria, they were nicknamed after Okada. This is because they could manoeuvre through the heavy traffic of Lagos and take passengers to their destinations as fast as possible, just like the airline – the priority, not necessarily being comfort.
The name has outlived the airline, and so, Nigerians mostly think about the motorcycles rather than the airline, when the name ‘Okada’ is mentioned. The word has spread so much in the Nigerian lingo that it has been added to the Oxford English Dictionary.
In the northern region of the country though, the motorbikes are known as ‘achaba’, which is derived from the Hausa phrase which means ‘double enjoyment’. The word originates from the fact that motorbike riders are paid in other ways by female passengers.
Phen-Phen (Liberia), Kabu-Kabu (Niger), Oleyia (Togo) and others
In Liberia and Niger, motorcycles have unique local names: 'Phen-Phen' in Liberia and 'Kabu-Kabu' in Niger. Know the backstory behind these names? Locals, I’m all ears—hit the reply button and let me know how you refer to it in your local lingo!
FactAfrica 💡
In 2016, the motorcycle market was dominated by Bajaj (India), TVR (India), and Honda (Japan). However, the landscape has since shifted with the rise of Chinese brands like Boxer, APsonic, Zongshen, Senke, Rato, Sonlink, Volex and many more, reshaping Africa's two-wheeled transportation scene.
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