Nelson Mwangi Nduki is the chairman and co-founder of Super Metro, a leading public transport company in Nairobi, Kenya.
His story is one of resilience and overcoming life hurdles judging from his testimonials and achievements so far.
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In 2013, Mwangi and his three friends established Super Metro. The trio had one uniting factor, a desire to transform Nairobi’s public transport sector by instilling professionalism.
Early Life of Nelson Mwangi
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Nelson Mwangi was born into a humble family background in Murang’a.
In his past interviews, Mwangi has narrated how his family faced numerous challenges growing up, including walking over 20 kilometers (25 km) to school each day.
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Food was also a challenge at times for his family. Despite these challenges, he excelled academically, scoring 29 out of 36 points in his Certificate of Primary Education (CPE).
Nelson was, however, unable to immediately join secondary school and had to repeat the same class.
Upon his re-examination, he scored 32 out of 36 points and received an offer to join a national secondary school, an opportunity that his parents could not afford.
However, his grandfather stepped in and pleaded with a teacher from Kirogo Secondary School, who later allowed him to join the school.
He completed his secondary school education with a division two grade which is equivalent to a B+.
His education hurdles did not end there. In a past interview, Mwangi said he was forced to shelve his ambition to pursue university studies due to lack of school fees.
Journey From Murang’a to Nairobi
Nelson Mwangi’s journey to Nairobi was not easy. He narrates how he boarded a hearse after a funeral in his village in search of a new life in the city.
With the help of a relative, Nelson was able to navigate Nairobi.
He started roasting maize in Eastlands near the Makadara Law Courts to earn a living.
Also Read: Super Metro Wins Prestigious Awards
Searching for His Father
In 1993, he became a lift attendant at Zanze restaurant while searching for his father in Kangemi.
The restaurant’s management then promoted him to a managerial position where he worked for nine years.
Also Read: Super Metro Responds Over Passenger Who Died During Ksh30 Fare Dispute
Building Super Metro Sacco
In 1998, Mwangi took a loan to top up his savings before buying his first matatu. This ushered him into the matatu industry where he has since made a name for himself.
He would later secure another loan from a Shylock which helped to buy his second matatu.
In 2002, his friends challenged him concerning his knowledge of car spare parts. He did comprehensive research and helped his friends get quality spare parts.
As an appreciation, his friends gifted him another matatu for free to further expand his fleet.
His popularity and influence in the matatu sector have grown over the years. In 2013, Mwangi and his friends laid foundation for what would become the Sacco with the biggest fleet in the town-service category.
As the Chairman and Co-founder, Mwangi has steered Super Metro to a period of accelerated growth. The company has attracted both praise and criticism.
In a city with multiple players offering commuter transport services, Super Metro has been praised as one of the best Saccos as is manifested in the long queues of customers who use its buses every day.
His Sacco has over 500 buses in its fleet, with drivers and conductors.
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