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Originally published by The Standard BusinessNovember 11, 2025
5h ago
What it will take to transform Nairobi into a globally competitive city

Nairobi should focus on both the infrastructural and spatial changes and governance issues that are of critical concern while exploiting its strategic resources...
✨ Key Highlights
Nairobi, a key economic and technological hub in East Africa, is at a critical juncture in its urban development, with immense potential to become a globally competitive city. Achieving this status requires comprehensive strategies focusing on infrastructure, governance, and leveraging its unique resources.
- A major challenge is implementing modern drainage systems and green infrastructure to combat frequent flooding, which incurs billions in economic costs.
- Solving traffic congestion through improved public transport (Bus Rapid Transit, commuter rails) and non-motorized options is crucial, as current congestion costs billions annually in lost productivity.
- The city aims to restructure its Central Business District (CBD) by integrating the informal sector into designated trade zones rather than outright exclusion.
- Enhancing security through smart surveillance and community policing is vital to boost investor confidence and tourism, as every global city guarantees security.
- Nairobi's unique advantage as a major technological and innovation center, dubbed "Silicon Savannah," must be capitalized on through investments in digital infrastructure and innovation districts.
- Effective policy alignment, governance reform, and strategic public-private partnerships are necessary to achieve this ambitious vision for Nairobi.
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