For many Kenyans, TikTok is a place to catch up on trending dances, funny skits, celebrity updates and viral moments.
For one Kenyan content creator, however, the platform became much more than entertainment.
Known online as Nduthi Girl, the TikToker has built a recognisable identity around electric scooters, taking her audience along as she rides, explains and demonstrates a mode of transport that remains unfamiliar to many Kenyans.
In an exclusive sit-down with TUKO.co.ke, she shared how her journey began while working in electric scooter sales at Kenwing, where she noticed many people were curious about the machines but didn’t understand how they worked or whether they could fit into everyday Kenyan life.
Instead of simply trying to sell the scooters, she decided to turn her experience into content.
“I wasn’t just trying to sell a scooter, I wanted people to actually understand the technology and see that electric mobility could realistically be part of our future here,” she said in her opening statements.
That decision would eventually turn her into a TikTok personality, with some of her videos attracting hundreds of thousands of views.
How Nduthi Girl started creating TikTok content
Nduthi Girl said becoming a content creator was not something she had planned. She was already working in electric scooter sales when she realised there was a story to tell about the relatively new technology.
“I kept noticing the same gap,” she explained, noting that many people were interested in electric scooters but did not know how they worked.
She began making simple and relatable videos showing the scooters in everyday situations.
One of her early videos crossed 700,000 views, reaching users through TikTok’s For You Page without paid advertising, and for her, that was the moment she realised the platform could take her content far beyond the people who already knew about electric scooters.
“That was the moment it stopped feeling like a hobby and started feeling like a real discovery engine.”
When asked how she came up with the popular moniker she is now known by online, she explained that the name Nduthi Girl came naturally.
She wanted something that felt distinctly Kenyan, easy to remember and connected to motorcycles, while also reflecting her position as a woman in a space often associated with men.
“Nduthi” is a familiar Kenyan word for a motorcycle, and pairing it with “Girl” gave her an identity that stood out online.
How did Nduthi Girl go viral?
One of the most interesting parts of Nduthi Girl’s journey has been watching Kenyans react to her videos.
Some viewers immediately became curious, while others were initially sceptical about whether an electric scooter could actually survive Kenyan roads.
She regularly receives questions about the scooter’s range, battery life, charging and ability to handle local roads.
The comments have also changed over time.
“Someone will comment ‘Hii ni toy?’ and a few videos later they’re asking where they can come and see one in person.”
For Nduthi Girl, that change is more important than simply getting views.
She said her favourite part is watching someone move from making fun of the unfamiliar machine to becoming curious enough to ask questions or seek one out physically.
And while some of her viewers may never purchase an electric scooter, she said many still watch, comment and share her videos with friends.
That has helped turn an unusual mode of transport into entertaining content that people can relate to.
How does Nduthi Girl use TikTok in her job?
According to her, working as an electric scooter sales representative has also benefited from the growing online presence.
Rather than waiting for potential customers to visit a showroom, she can demonstrate the scooters to thousands of people through her videos.
She shows how they look, how they move, and what it is like to use one daily.
“With TikTok, I can take the showroom to the customer instead, demonstrate a scooter, explain its features, answer questions, and start building a relationship with someone before they’ve even met me physically,” she explained.
The content has also helped potential buyers become familiar with her before meeting her physically. Some viewers have moved from watching her videos to making inquiries and eventually becoming customers.
For Nduthi Girl, that makes TikTok both an entertainment platform and an extension of her everyday work.
However, the biggest part of her content is that she is not simply demonstrating a product she has never used. She rides an electric scooter herself.
Why Nduthi Girl chose to ride an electric scooter
Nduthi Girl said she wanted to experience the product first-hand before convincing other people to use it.
She did not want to sit in a showroom telling customers how good electric scooters were without knowing what riding one every day actually felt like.
So, she decided to make the scooter part of her daily commute.
“I didn’t want to sit in a showroom telling people how good electric scooters are without ever experiencing one myself,” she noted.
The experience, she said, changed her understanding of the product and gave her first-hand answers to many of the questions customers ask.
Her daily rides have therefore become part of her content and her work, allowing viewers to see her using the scooter rather than simply hearing a sales pitch.
She said the experience has also given her greater confidence when speaking to potential customers because she understands the product beyond its specifications.
Despite the growing interest, electric scooters still face plenty of scepticism in Kenya. Nduthi Girl said some people believe the scooters are toys, while others question whether they can handle Kenyan roads, carry significant loads or travel far enough without leaving riders stranded.
Rather than dismissing those concerns, she has made them part of her content.
Her approach is to demonstrate the scooters in real situations and answer questions as honestly as possible. She believes people should be curious enough to understand new technology before making a judgement about it.
Has TikTok visibility given Nduthi Girl new opportunities?
As her following and visibility grew, Nduthi Girl began attracting attention beyond the scooter business. She said brands and businesses have approached her for collaborations, with this TUKO.co.ke interview itself being one of the opportunities that came through the visibility created by her content.
For her, that is evidence that content creation can become a pathway to opportunities even before someone becomes a household name.
“For me, the most valuable collaborations are the ones that actually make sense for my audience and my journey, especially anything around mobility, technology, lifestyle, and entrepreneurship. I’m still building, so I treat every opportunity as another step toward something bigger.”
“Content creation can build a personal brand, build credibility, and connect you with businesses.”
Is Nduthi Girl becoming a full-time content creator?
While she loves creating content, Nduthi Girl is not ready to abandon her entrepreneurial side. She sees the two worlds as complementary, with TikTok giving her a platform to build her personal brand while her work and experiences provide material for her content.
“I love content creation, but I also love business, and TikTok is the platform that lets me combine the two. My vision is to build a strong personal brand that opens doors beyond just selling scooters, I want my content to create opportunities, while my entrepreneurial journey gives that content a real story and purpose behind it,” she explained.
However, if content creation eventually becomes her full-time career, she said she would be ready for it.
For now, however, she is happy building the creator and entrepreneur in her side by side.
What advice does Nduthi Girl have for other TikTok creators?
Her journey has also shaped her advice to young Kenyans hoping to make money from their talents. According to Nduthi Girl, creators should not wait until they have massive followings before treating themselves seriously.
She believes a phone, knowledge, personality or skill can all become the foundation of an opportunity.
“I’d tell them: don’t wait to become famous before you start acting like a brand. You don’t need 100,000 followers to create an opportunity; you need something valuable to offer and the courage to put yourself out there. Your phone can be a camera. Your knowledge can be content. Your personality can be your brand. Your skill can become a business,” she said.
Recalling how she started, Nduthi Girl said she did not have a guaranteed audience either. She simply kept creating, learning and improving.
For her, success does not necessarily begin when thousands of people start paying attention.
“Sometimes we think success starts the moment everyone notices us. It doesn’t; success starts the moment you decide to take yourself seriously, even when nobody’s watching yet. So, my advice is simple: start with what you have, stay consistent, learn from every failure, and don’t be afraid to be different. Your uniqueness could be the very thing that creates your opportunity,” she added.
That philosophy has taken Nduthi Girl from simply riding an electric scooter to building a TikTok identity around the experience.
And as her audience continues to grow, the creator appears keen to see just how far the journey can take her.
