Vehicles drive on the Nairobi expressway in Nairobi, Kenya, Dec. 22, 2022. (Xinhua/Han Xu)

The 27.1-km Nairobi Expressway, built by a Chinese firm under a public-private partnership model, marked a milestone of 12 million total trips by vehicles that have used it since its operation in July last year, executives said in Nairobi, capital of Kenya on Monday.

The figure signifies its growing popularity amid ease of mobility in the Kenyan capital. Currently, it takes only 20 minutes to shuttle from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Kenya's main airport located on the south-western part of Nairobi, to the bustling Westlands district using the thoroughfare, down from two hours using the Nairobi-Mombasa highway at peak hours.

Steve Zhao, CEO of Moja Expressway Company which manages the modern thoroughfare said the expressway has offered convenience, comfort and safety to motorists shuttling between the southern parts of Nairobi where the main airport is located to the upscale Westlands suburb.

He made the remarks during the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Moja Expressway Company and local tyres distributor, WABCO Tyres. Through a six months' complementary partnership, customers who buy a set of WABCO's signature brand, FALKEN Tyres, will be awarded a subscription to Moja Expressway pioneered Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) service and Toll Points to facilitate their movement along the Nairobi Expressway, according to Zhao.

He added that the partnership with the local tyre distributor will also re-invigorate Moja Expressway's ongoing road safety campaign targeting motorists and passengers along the Nairobi Expressway corridor.

Joseph Gitau, the Business Development Manager at Moja Expressway, said that Moja Expressway is keen on partnering with stakeholders in the public and private sectors to improve service delivery at its tolling stations spread across the Nairobi Expressway.

Besides revolutionizing mobility, the Nairobi Expressway has positioned Kenya as an attractive investment and trading hub.