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Nairobi, Kenya: Africa’s ‘Most Intelligent City’ –ICF

February 12, 2015

"Nairobi certainly has the opportunity to build an exciting future for its citizens, businesses and institutions," Bell said.

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The Intelligent Community Forum (ICF), a New York-based think tank focused on communities which “use information and communications technology to grow prosperous, inclusive, sustainable economies” has named Nairobi, Kenya the ‘most intelligent’ city in Africa for the second year in a row.

"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,” said Robert Bell, Intelligent Community Forum co-founder says.

The foundation, which has been distributing the international awards since 1999, recently released the latest rankings acknowledging that Nairobi is the only African city to make it to the world’s top 21 “intelligent communities.” However, not included on the top seven finalists (Arlington County, U.S., Columbus, U.S., Ipswich, Australia, Mitchell, U.S., New Taipei City, Taiwan, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Surrey, Canada) that will be contesting in June for the 2015 Intelligent Community of the Year award.

"Nairobi certainly has the opportunity to build an exciting future for its citizens, businesses and institutions," Bell said.

Bell also suggested that this achievement for Kenya would further put the county at a great advantage.

“The city is also one of two sub-Saharan cities likely to achieve developed status within 20 years.  If the prediction proves true, it will mark a sharp positive turn at the end of a very long road,” he said.