Daily trips to work or school are the leading reason Nairobi residents use ride-hailing services, a new TIFA Research survey shows.
The survey found that 28 per cent of respondents use ride-hailing services mainly for their daily commute to work or school, making it the most cited reason for using the services.
Social and leisure activities followed at 25 per cent, highlighting the significant role ride-hailing plays in helping residents travel for entertainment and social engagements.
Another 20 per cent said they use ride-hailing services for business travel, while 15 per cent use them for shopping and other errands.
The survey also found that 9 per cent of respondents use ride-hailing services during emergencies.
A smaller proportion, 3 per cent, said they use the services simply to commute from one point to another, while 1 per cent cited sending parcels and deliveries as their main reason.
Most users make fewer than 10 trips a month. The survey also examined how frequently respondents use ride-hailing services.
Half of those surveyed, 50 per cent, reported making between one and four trips per month.
Another 35 per cent said they make between five and 10 trips monthly, while 10 per cent make between 11 and 20 trips.
Only 5 per cent reported making more than 20 trips in an average month.
Overall, respondents reported an average of 6.8 ride-hailing trips per month.
The frequency was broadly similar across age groups. Respondents aged 18 to 34 reported an average of 6.8 trips per month, compared with 6.9 trips among those aged 35 and above.
Men reported more frequent use than women, with an average of 7.4 trips per month, compared with 6.2 trips among women.
Among men, 47 per cent reported making one to four trips per month, while 34 per cent made five to 10 trips. Another 11 per cent made 11 to 20 trips, while 8 per cent reported more than 20 trips.
Among women, 52 per cent made one to four trips per month, 36 per cent made five to 10 trips, 8 per cent made 11 to 20 trips and 4 per cent made more than 20 trips.
The TIFA Research survey was conducted between July 17 and 21, 2026, across Nairobi County.
Data was collected through face-to-face, household-based interviews conducted mainly in Swahili and English.
The survey targeted members of the general public aged 18 years and above, including both male and female respondents.
A total of 733 respondents participated in the survey, with a reported margin of error of ±2.18 per cent, although larger margins apply to sub-samples.
