The global narrative of a “smart city” often revolves around sensors, data dashboards, and automation. For Africa, a truly smart city must be a human-centred one, where technology serves community needs and fosters inclusion, rather than simply imposing high-tech solutions.
This means prioritizing digital access as a public good, ensuring affordable internet and digital literacy for all citizens. It involves co-designing solutions with residents, using mobile platforms to gather community feedback on service delivery and urban planning. In Kigali, tech hubs are fostering local entrepreneurship, while Cape Town’s initiatives focus on using data to improve safety and resource management in underserved neighbourhoods.
The goal is not to create a network of surveillance, but a platform for participation. By anchoring smart city strategies in local context and community input, African urban centres can harness technology to solve pressing challenges from streamlining public transport to improving waste collection building cities that are not only intelligent but also equitable and responsive to the people who live in them.