Little, Maisha Poa, and BirdView launch health insurance plan for digital taxi drivers

With medical insurance penetration in Kenya still under 10%, largely due to high costs and limited access, a new partnership seeks to address the gap by targeting a critical yet underserved segment of the workforce—digital taxi drivers.

A three-way agreement between ride-hailing company Little, Maisha Poa Insurance, and BirdView Insurance has introduced Mfanisi Go, a health insurance plan designed specifically for drivers operating on Little’s platform.

The initiative aims to provide affordable and accessible medical cover, starting at KSh 82 per day or KSh 493 per week. The product targets over 150,000 drivers on the Little network, offering coverage without the need for traditional paperwork or upfront payments.

Mfanisi Go is underwritten by BirdView Insurance and structured by Maisha Poa Insurance. The plan allows drivers to pay in installments over eight months, covering themselves and up to five dependents. It includes access to a network of over 100 hospitals and clinics across major urban centers.

Enrollment and management of the insurance are integrated into the Little app, with payments automatically deducted from drivers’ trip earnings to reduce administrative burden and support consistent coverage.

The plan also includes a telemedicine feature, enabling drivers to consult licensed doctors remotely at no additional cost.

“We are aware of the daily challenges our drivers face. Mfanisi Go is intended to ease one of their biggest concerns—access to healthcare,” said Fred Okwaro, Deputy CEO at Little.

John Paul Otieno, CEO of Maisha Poa Insurance, noted: “Our goal is to make health insurance more inclusive by addressing the real-world needs of those typically excluded from traditional coverage models.”

This collaboration represents a step toward extending formal health protections to Kenya’s gig economy workforce, which has historically lacked consistent access to such benefits.