Smart AfricaThe United Nations World Cities Report published in May 2016 noted a global trend in which cities have become central to the transformation of the global economy1 . Urbanization has dramatically changed energy consumption patterns, water and sanitation needs, food security and mobility of human beings. And with this change, there are unprecedented challenges arising from the inability of governments to cater to the demands of urban settlers. Nowhere is this gap more evident than in African cities where poverty results in informal settlement patterns, economic inequality, high youth unemployment and environmental degradation.
In response to these challenges an emergent concept envisions smart and sustainable cities that take advantage of ICT to enhance the ability of leaders to make decisions about resource allocation and improve service delivery. Central to this concept are the nuances of the African continent where counterpoints such as high mobile internet penetration on the one hand and high infrastructure deficits exist that provide unique opportunities to advance technology. For instance, using mobile phone sensors and crowdsourced data to collect traffic and security related data is more relevant than building a separate IoT ecosystem.
This document is a blueprint for Smart Sustainable Cities that is aimed at African city leaders and officials. It begins with some key definitions of notions, trends, and drivers of cities both in Africa and around the world. Subsequently, it lays down the principles for Smart Sustainable Cities implementation and how to manage and control these drivers. For instance, it proposes the adoption of a Smart City Platform for command and control of city flows and services. It also positions the use of big data and analytics to drive decision making in management of city infrastructure, flows and services. There are also pointers for different financing models, policies and regulations which should be considered while developing a program for Smart Sustainable Cities. Even more importantly, this document draws best of class practices and lessons from other cities globally that have successfully embarked on the “Smart Sustainable Cities” journey notwithstanding the African continent’s unique context and development aspirations.
This document is developed in conjunction with the Rwandan Smart City Masterplan which offers a localized example of how African countries can make their cities smart, sustainable and resilient.