Do you know that as it stands today, Africa remains the centre of all focus and discussion on the future of our planet?
This is a testament to the fact that Africa holds great promise as the destination of the next iteration of urban growth and it’s projected that by 2035, the population of Africa alone will be about 4 billion and more.
In light of this revelation, many cities across Africa have been racing to become the most advanced cities in the world.
However, in terms of technology and innovation, many African cities are still above the radar due to the numerous problems and challenges in terms of incorporating the latest or novel technological advancement. Africa is still far from creating research habits like the research and development hubs that are common across advanced cities all over the world.
Notwithstanding, in recent times some of our cities have been able to measure up in terms of technological advancement and are on par to rank among the world’s smartest and most technologically innovative cities.
This article talks about the giant stride some of these African cities have made to become one of the most advanced cities in the continent and have gained such global recognition.
Most technologically advanced cities in Africa
1. Cape Town, South Africa
Although Cape Town is considered one of the smallest places in Africa, this South African city has planned to introduce cutting-edge technologies and it’s home to well-established tech hubs. It’s the second-largest city in South Africa with a population of over four million people
The city is beginning to see the start of future innovations like the IoT, artificial intelligence, and better utility of the vast amounts of data available to the city.
Also, Cape Town is the place for some of the largest financial institutions in South Africa, making it a home to the nation’s innovative fintech industry. It also has one the highest number of accelerators in Africa, having more than sixteen co-working space
2. Cairo, Egypt
In Africa, Cairo is currently the most developed metropolis, with a population of over nine million people.
Cairo has become a major tech and innovative hub in Africa. The city has a growing number of startups, and the government has been so supportive of this tech advancement, implementing policies and initiatives that have encouraged Growth and development.
Cairo is also home to some notable tech companies such as Instabug, and Vegeta, among others.
3. Johannesburg, South Africa
Johannesburg is the largest city in South Africa, and also one of the major key players in the tech space in Africa.
This South African metropolis serves as Africa’s economic centre and boasts a sophisticated transportation network, a top-notch airport, and state-of-the-art motorways.
The city has a well-established infrastructure and hosts several multinational technological companies in Africa.
The tech advancement of this city spans several sectors like fintech, renewable energy, e-commerce and telecommunication.
It can be said that Johannesburg is a blend of cooperative innovation and entrepreneurship. This is the reason the city has witnessed such progress in the southern region of Africa.
4. Nairobi, Kenya
Kenya’s capital city is this one. This city is one of the ones in Africa that has made significant investments in technology and innovation. It also serves as the headquarters for other international organizations, such as the United Nations Office for the African continent.
Because so many creative and technology-related businesses have been founded in Nairobi, the city is referred to as the “silicon savanna.”
5. Kigali, Rwanda
This beautiful Rwanda City is situated between rolling hills, in a series of valleys. This was the main reason why this smart City was recently nicknamed the Silicon Valley of Africa. Kigali boasts of smart infrastructures like sensors around the city that monitor power grid safety, measure air quality, and detect water leaks.
The chief aim of this smart and innovative city is to improve the quality of life in the city. Also, the objective goal of Kigali is to bring into the nation the brightest minds in technology and innovation all over Africa.
The technology and innovation strides that are witnessed all around this city are bringing a new, positive narrative, fostered by a new generation of vibrant and young entrepreneurs, tickling with mind-blowing ideas.
6. Lagos, Nigeria
Nigeria’s most technologically sophisticated and populated city, Lagos, serves as the nation’s economic hub. Furthermore, the city is among the most innovative and technologically advanced in all of Africa.
In addition to housing several global firms, Lagos boasts a strong and vibrant IT sector.
Lagos is undergoing a technology revolution with AI integration both in the tech sector and also in some aspects of Lagos’ food tech. Lagos by all estimation is already a megacity and has been able to incorporate some of these world-class innovations and technologies into its systems. A notable example is Itana. Itana is a city just for startups in Lagos.
Also, Lagos as a city has initiated several smart innovations, like a mobile app that allows residents to report issues related to public services and a smart transportation system.
7. Tunis, Tunisha
Tunis is the capital of Tunisia. It’s one of the major economic centers in North Africa. Tunis has made several smart initiatives, including a smart transportation system and a mobile app that allows residents to report issues related to public services
Tunis also boasts of well-developed infrastructures and a modern airport.
Tunisia aims to become an economic hub in 10 years. To make this goal a reality, the city has initiated a new strategy that includes a digital governance and e-commerce model.
8. Konza, Kenya
Konza is an example of a smart and technologically advanced city that was built from scratch.
This city doesn’t have to deal with inherited setbacks or any social challenges.
The goal of Konza Technopolis organization is to become a world-class city, driven by information, communication and technology, with superior infrastructure, and innovation-friendly governance systems.
Konza has a data centre that caters for anything a smart city requires.
The city is well connected with Wi-Fi and has Internet provided within it, to make sure every resident is well-crafted with one another.
Conclusion
Africa as a continent is poised to become the next focus in urbanization. The parameters are enough to support this claim. In the next couple of years, Africa will be the most populous continent in the world, with much of this population being an active and vibrant workforce.
Also, most African cities have begun to become renowned for their advancement in technology.
Smart cities are emerging across Africa. Such cities like the Park which is a self-sufficient city in South Africa, which is being developed and funded by Urb. The Park when completed will be able to generate 100 percent of its water, energy and food.
Africa is indeed becoming a technological hub, and as I said earlier, the world is turning back to Africa for the next technological and human advancement.
Africa will become the choicest continent to test the fourth industrial revolution.
