IBM seeks to transform Nairobi into smart city

The concept will see different aspects of Nairobi like traffic control, provision of water, emergency response and even garbage collection run on modern day technology, writes MACHARIA KAMAU

Information Technology firm IBM is pitching for a Government job to transform Nairobi into a smart city.

The concept is meant to see the different aspects of Nairobi like traffic control, provision of water, emergency response and even garbage collection and disposal running on modern day technology.

This includes integrating the city’s different departments to run from a central command centre.

Already, IBM has given a grant to the city to lay the groundwork for transforming Nairobi into a smarter city. The details of the grant and how it will be employed will be released in the coming weeks.

White paper

IBM, which has been holding talks with government officials over the last year, on Friday launched a white paper discussing the possibility of turning Nairobi into a city whose functionalities are pegged on modern day technology.

Nothing conclusive has come from its negotiations with the government yet but the firm says deliberations have been fruitful.

"From the discussions, we see a tremendous interest in and enthusiasm for IBM’s Smarter Cities vision," said Tony Mwai, country general manager IBM East Africa.

"We are still in talks with government and we are certain of opportunities for future co-operation."

"What is unique about IBM’s approach to a smarter city is our ability to integrate the broad range of systems, processes and constituents that make up a city."

The idea of making Nairobi smart is far-fetched given that the now-turned metropolis thrives on chaos and many can testify that living and working in Nairobi is nothing short of a nightmare.

Top on the long list of woes for residents is the never-ending traffic congestion. This is in addition to water shortages, non-existent garbage disposal mechanisms, frequent power outages and lack of access roads to residential areas for emergency response.

The winding jams alone have been estimated to cost the country in excess of Sh50 million everyday in lost productivity, fuel consumption and pollution.

A survey by IBM last year ranked Nairobi fourth most painful city to commute in the world.

But Mwai says the city is not beyond redemption and while there is no single solution to fix the mess that has been building up for the last half a decade, integrating technology in the running of the city can improve operations and gradually eliminate the problems bedevilling the city.

Unique circumstances

"There is no one solution to Nairobi’s urban challenges. While Nairobi can learn from other cities, its unique set of circumstances mean the scale and scope of any possible solutions need to be evaluated carefully before any decisions are made and timelines put in place,"

Central to transformation of Nairobi is government partnering with the private sector. A degree of these partnerships is already evident, especially in areas of street lighting and installation of surveillance equipment.

"One of the major findings in our white paper was that more public-private partnerships would create opportunities for Nairobi to work smarter," said Mwai.

"Together, the public and private sectors already have 90 per cent of the city covered by CCTVs — creating effective partnerships. Working to share and centralise certain types of data would go a long way in creating a more secure Nairobi."

Information and Communication PS Bitange Ndemo said the city loses billions of shillings annually in inefficiencies and that adoption of technology was essential for the city to handle these challenges and grow.

"If we can address some of these issues, then we will create greater efficiencies, which is important for growth and development," he said.

Traffic congestion

There are plans to improve the situation — especially getting rid of traffic congestion. Transport PS said there is a policy document lined up for debate in Parliament that will improve traffic flow once implementation starts.

IBM’s white paper on Nairobi titled ‘A Vision of a Smarter City: How Nairobi Can Lead the Way into a Prosperous and Sustainable Future’, draws on views from experts including World Bank and UN-Habitat.

The document addresses several issues including transportation, energy and public safety.

The report also captures the argument that major infrastructure projects might not solve the problems if they are not accompanied by education, regulation and enforcement. "Infrastructure investments alone will not be enough to make Nairobi’s transport system smarter," said Christian Schlosser chief of urban transport at UN-Habitat.

"Solutions that improve conditions for cyclists and pedestrians are vital, along with large scale public transport systems."