Sandton, South Africa, 2nd October, 2025
The future of African cities took center stage yesterday at the Smart Mobility Africa 2025 conference, where leaders and innovators gathered to reimagine transport systems for a rapidly urbanizing continent.
Representing Nairobi City County, the County Executive Committee Member for Mobility and Works Mr. Ibrahim Auma joined a high-level panel discussion under the theme Mobility Leaders Vision: Embracing the New Urban Era Through Smarter Mobility Across Africa where he outlined Nairobi’s bold vision to transform its transport systems into inclusive, climate-resilient, and efficient networks that connect residents to jobs, education, and markets.
“For Nairobi, the new urban era is about inclusivity, sustainability, and innovation. Mobility must not only move people but it must enable opportunity.” Emphasized Mr. Auma.
Mr. Auma highlighted several key priorities shaping Nairobi’s urban mobility strategy. They include: –
Mass Rapid Transit Integration – Expanding and connecting Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), commuter rail, and other modes to improve passenger reliability and capacity.
Traffic Management and Junction Improvements – Deploying Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS), smart traffic signals, and surveillance tools to ease congestion hotspots.
Non-Motorized Transport (NMT) Infrastructure – Building safer walkways, cycling lanes, and pedestrian crossings to promote equity, health, and climate resilience.
Public transport reform, he added, remains central to Nairobi’s mobility agenda. ” Achieving this will require structured stakeholder engagement, strong institutional coordination, and sustainable financing models to establish a more formal and integrated system”, he said.
He urged digital solution providers to prioritize Interoperable and inclusive platforms for public transport integration, Smart parking solutions and ITS applications and data-driven tools to improve efficiency and passenger experience.
Moreover, Mr. Auma stressed the importance of ensuring fairness in the shift to electric mobility, including: -Equitable distribution of Electric vehicle charging stations, training local mechanics and supporting Small and Medium Enterprises and SACCOs with financing as well as providing reliable and affordable electricity for informal transport operators
He further underscored the value of partnerships in achieving mobility goals. “Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) will be critical for charging infrastructure, while city-to-city collaborations can accelerate knowledge sharing and capacity building”.
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