The service integrates WhatsApp as a customer interface, offering a familiar and accessible platform for many Kenyans to order gas in real-time. GoBEBA’s co-founders, Lesley Mbogo and Peter Ndiang’ui, emphasised that the service is not only about convenience but also about restoring confidence in the quality of gas delivered to homes
By Our Correspondent
A groundbreaking partnership between PROTO Energy and GoBEBA Everything Ltd promises to transform how Kenyan households access liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), by combining authenticity, convenience, and technology. The initiative, launched at PROTO’s Nairobi headquarters, is poised to bridge the gap in clean cooking energy delivery, especially for underserved urban and rural communities.
With only 29.4% of Kenyans currently using LPG, 59% in urban centres and just 8% in rural areas, the collaboration seeks to expand access through a digitised and decentralised delivery model. By leveraging GoBEBA’s e-commerce infrastructure and logistics network, and PROTO’s established LPG brands such as ProGas and SeaGas, the partnership is set to offer fast, safe, and genuine gas delivery across the country.
“Our vision is clear, changing lives through affordable and sustainable LPG energy solutions,” said PROTO CEO Joel Kamau. “This partnership ensures genuine gas is delivered to customers within 30 minutes via their phones. We are combining trust with speed.”
The service integrates WhatsApp as a customer interface, offering a familiar and accessible platform for many Kenyans to order gas in real-time. GoBEBA’s co-founders, Lesley Mbogo and Peter Ndiang’ui, emphasised that the service is not only about convenience but also about restoring confidence in the quality of gas delivered to homes.
“For too long, Kenyans have had to choose between convenience and safety. Today, that ends,” said Ndiang’ui. “With PROTO’s genuine gas and our rapid delivery tech, customers can now enjoy both.”
The launch event also showcased the new ordering system in action. Customers can place an order via WhatsApp, and thanks to GoBEBA’s network of micro-warehouses and delivery agents, receive verified LPG in minutes. In addition, PROTO has introduced barcoded, serialised seals on its cylinders to guard against counterfeit refills, a common concern in the local market.
“This is a significant step,” said Tim Jessop, PROTO’s Chief Commercial Officer. “We’re digitising the entire customer journey and guaranteeing 100 percent authenticity in what people receive. Safety and trust are at the heart of our model.”
The initiative is particularly vital during emergencies, such as when households run out of gas mid-meal, offering a new level of responsiveness. More broadly, the companies believe the partnership will play a pivotal role in Kenya’s clean energy transition, aligning with national efforts to reduce reliance on polluting fuels like charcoal and kerosene.
The partnership also has a developmental edge. By bringing genuine, affordable LPG within reach of more households, it directly contributes to health, sustainability, and economic goals. Indoor air pollution from dirty fuels remains a leading cause of respiratory illness in low-income households, a burden this initiative hopes to help alleviate.
The event drew attendance from clean energy stakeholders, logistics experts, and advocates of sustainable development, and marked the culmination of months of planning. Both firms expressed optimism that their joint efforts will serve as a blueprint for similar public-private innovations across the African continent.
“This partnership is just the beginning,” said Mbogo. “We’re committed to giving Kenyans what they’ve long been missing, safe, fast, and genuine access to cooking energy.”
With its focus on user-friendly technology, transparency, and speed, the PROTO-GoBEBA model may well set the standard for how clean energy reaches the last mile, one gas cylinder at a time.
