For a second year in a row, Kenya’s busy capital city of Nairobi has been named the most intelligent city in Africa — failing, however, to make it to the world’s top seven finalists.
According to the Intelligent Community Forum, “intelligent communities” are those that have taken “conscious steps” to create an economy that can prosper in the “broadband economy.” The group has recently released its latest rankings, recognizing the achievements of communities that have built inclusive, prosperous economies on a basis of information and communication technologies.
Nairobi was the only African city to appear on their shortlist of 21 hubs throughout the world for 2015.
Intelligent Community Forum co-founder Robert Bell says: “We see a strong foundation being put into place [in Nairobi]: sensible, pro-growth government policy, a more diversified economy, and an innovation ecosystem of startups, international companies and universities.
“Nairobi certainly has the opportunity to build an exciting future for its citizens, businesses and institutions.”
The Kenyan capital, however, didn’t make it to the next round that will see seven communities around the world contesting in June for the 2015 Intelligent Community of the Year award — in alphabetical order, the 2015 Top7 Intelligent Communities were Arlington County (U.S.), Columbus, (U.S.), Ipswich (Australia), Mitchell (U.S.), New Taipei City (Taiwan), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) and Surrey (Canada).
Click through the gallery to find out more about how Nairobi is dealing with the challenges of the broadband economy.
