The Global North Has Its ‘Smart Cities.’ Africa Is Building Better Ones.

African urban development isn’t playing catch-up. It’s forging a new path that blends technology with culture, ecology, and inclusivity.

People Before Technology

Over 1,000 people—students, workers, and residents—gathered in Konza City, Nairobi, to plant 30,000 seedlings. This wasn’t a PR stunt or a corporate-sponsored greenwashing effort. It was the Greening Konza Initiative, a long-term push to create a public park within the city. No AI-driven traffic lights. No data-driven urban planning dashboards. Just people shaping the space they live in.

Konza’s approach challenges the usual smart city narrative. Many urban projects, especially in wealthier regions, obsess over automation and surveillance. Sensors track foot traffic, algorithms dictate efficiency, and technology takes center stage. The result? Cities that run like machines but often forget the people inside them. Konza flips that script. Its smartness isn’t about digital infrastructure but about local culture, green spaces, and shared experiences.

This shift isn’t just happening in Nairobi. Across Africa, cities are proving that modern urban development doesn’t have to come at the cost of community or ecology. The focus is on creating places that protect the environment, respect cultural identity, and serve the people who live there. These cities aren’t just adapting to growth; they’re redefining it.

Efficiency isn’t the only measure of progress. Smart city models that depend on . . .