Kenya's busy capital city, Nairobi, has been crowned the most intelligent city in Africa by the Intelligent Community Forum. Click through for the key reasons experts think the city is particularly well placed to deal with the challenges of the broadband economy.
Global City —
Kenya's busy capital city, Nairobi, has been crowned the most intelligent city in Africa by the Intelligent Community Forum. Click through for the key reasons experts think the city is particularly well placed to deal with the challenges of the broadband economy.
Courtesy: Kenya Tourism Board
Nairobi is at the heart of the Kenya's mobile payments revolution - mobile money is commonly used by residents across the city, as well as by the local county government for fee payments. Safaricom's M-Pesa service, introduced in 2007, now handles $320 million in payments each month. The amount represents a quarter of Kenya's GDP. The service has encouraged economic activity by making banking services available to low-income citizens.
Payment prowess —
Nairobi is at the heart of the Kenya's mobile payments revolution - mobile money is commonly used by residents across the city, as well as by the local county government for fee payments. Safaricom's M-Pesa service, introduced in 2007, now handles $320 million in payments each month. The amount represents a quarter of Kenya's GDP. The service has encouraged economic activity by making banking services available to low-income citizens.
TONY KARUMBA/AFP/Getty Images/file
Nairobi has also welcomed incubation centers, such as iHub. The co-working space has become the epicenter of Kenya's burgeoning tech scene, playing host to technologists, investors, tech companies and hackers seeking to solve global issues through tech. "Many tech (and non tech) multinationals have their regional or continental headquarters here due to the strategic location of the city as well as the talent pool available," says Josiah Mugambi, iHub's executive director. "Many now recognize the potential for technology to be used to transform the way business is done."
Incubating innovation —
Nairobi has also welcomed incubation centers, such as iHub. The co-working space has become the epicenter of Kenya's burgeoning tech scene, playing host to technologists, investors, tech companies and hackers seeking to solve global issues through tech. "Many tech (and non tech) multinationals have their regional or continental headquarters here due to the strategic location of the city as well as the talent pool available," says Josiah Mugambi, iHub's executive director. "Many now recognize the potential for technology to be used to transform the way business is done."
The city is home to university innovation centers, such as the Chandaria Business Innovation and Incubation Center at Kenyatta University. The institute was founded by leading Kenyan industrialist, Manilal Chandaria, and seeks to train people to become job creators rather than job-seekers. "We are thinking through the challenges we have, like mortality in children, for example. Its amazing to see young people engaging with these issues and searching for solutions about such global issues," says George Kosimbei, the director of the institute.
University approach —
The city is home to university innovation centers, such as the Chandaria Business Innovation and Incubation Center at Kenyatta University. The institute was founded by leading Kenyan industrialist, Manilal Chandaria, and seeks to train people to become job creators rather than job-seekers. "We are thinking through the challenges we have, like mortality in children, for example. Its amazing to see young people engaging with these issues and searching for solutions about such global issues," says George Kosimbei, the director of the institute.
Courtesy: George Kosimbei
Experts have also praised the government's Vision 2030 development plan for having a strong emphasis on the importance of technology and ICT in schools. With 15 million children in Kenya's education system, it seems this is key if the country will confront the challenges of a connected economy.
Future techies —
Experts have also praised the government's Vision 2030 development plan for having a strong emphasis on the importance of technology and ICT in schools. With 15 million children in Kenya's education system, it seems this is key if the country will confront the challenges of a connected economy.
SIMON MAINA/AFP/Getty Images/file
In it's Global Cities report, consulting firm A.T. Kearny, identifies Nairobi as one of two sub-Saharan cities likely to achieve developed status within 20 years. The city is identified as an "important center of regional politics" and the authors say the fact IBM is building a research laboratory illustrates it is a place advancing its global positioning.
Intelligent city —
In it's Global Cities report, consulting firm A.T. Kearny, identifies Nairobi as one of two sub-Saharan cities likely to achieve developed status within 20 years. The city is identified as an "important center of regional politics" and the authors say the fact IBM is building a research laboratory illustrates it is a place advancing its global positioning.
Courtesy: City of Nairobi
And an Economist Intelligence Unit report commissioned by Citigroup in 2012 says Nairobi is expected to be among the world's 40 fastest-growing cities between 2010 and 2016. The same report ranks the Kenyan capital as the fifth most competitive city in Africa.
Growing Fast —
And an Economist Intelligence Unit report commissioned by Citigroup in 2012 says Nairobi is expected to be among the world's 40 fastest-growing cities between 2010 and 2016. The same report ranks the Kenyan capital as the fifth most competitive city in Africa.
Courtesy: Kenya Tourism Board
But it's not just Nairobi which has impressive connectivity. The East African Marine System (Teams) is a 3,100 mile long fibre-optic undersea cable linking Mombasa with the UAE. The $130 million project to bring high-speed internet to Kenyans, is a joint venture between the government of Kenya and UAE-based operator Etisalat.
Underwater web —
But it's not just Nairobi which has impressive connectivity. The East African Marine System (Teams) is a 3,100 mile long fibre-optic undersea cable linking Mombasa with the UAE. The $130 million project to bring high-speed internet to Kenyans, is a joint venture between the government of Kenya and UAE-based operator Etisalat.
Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images/File