Kenya’s smart city woos Chinese investors to boost technology sector

An official from Konza Technopolis, Kenya’s smart city, said here Monday that the technology hub is seeking to attract Chinese investors to boost the country’s technology sector.

Lucas Omollo, the manager of ICT (information and communications technology) and Smart City Solutions in Konza Technopolis, said Chinese technology firm Huawei has already completed the construction of a data center in the smart city.

“Konza Technopolis presents opportunities for other Chinese investors to come on board in order to boost Kenya’s status as a regional technology hub,” Omollo said.

Konza Technopolis is a technology city located about 70 km south of the Kenyan capital of Nairobi on the way to the eastern port city of Mombasa.

Omollo observed that Kenya is keen to tap into advanced Chinese technology in sectors such as smart public transport systems, renewable energy, artificial intelligence, financial technology, digitization, and robotics.

He revealed that investments so far have only taken place in phase one of Konza city, and phase two is ready for technology investors.

Omollo added that Konza smart city is one of the key flagship projects of the country’s vision 2030 national development blueprint that is meant to transform the technology landscape through knowledge generation.

If it were to become a reality, Konza would be an important driving force for economic growth, education, and employment for the country, said Omollo.

The Government of Kenya has established the Konza Technopolis Development Authority as a special-purpose entity to facilitate the development of Konza. Its mission is to ensure that Konza grows into a sustainable, world-class technology hub and a major economic driver for the nation, with a vibrant mix of businesses, workers, residents, and urban amenities.