Rwanda has launched a Smart City Hub at the opening of Africa’s Smart and Sustainable Cities Investment Summit.
The Smart City Hub is at the core of Rwanda’s vision to become a Pan-African hub for tech and innovation.
The hub’s objective is to facilitate and drive efficient, sustainable, digital solutions that improve the quality of life for citizens in cities and communities in Rwanda through technology and innovation.
Paula Ingabire, Rwanda’s Minister of ICT & Innovation said, the Smart City Hub, aligns with the country’s vision to test, scale, and promote cutting-edge solutions.
“We are currently experiencing rapid advancements in the integration of AI, the internet of things, and digital twins for our cities. These developments are fostering a more habitable urban environment.
The emergence of smart cities has rightfully taken centre stage, and Rwanda, under the Smart Africa initiative, has taken the lead in championing the theme of smart cities.
Today, as we embark on the journey of launching these smart cities, they will not just be physical spaces but also vibrant hubs where ideas, collaboration, creativity, and innovation will flourish. They will undoubtedly serve as catalysts for a citizen-centric approach in practical innovations.”
“We hope that through this hub, collaborations will emerge to support these solutions in transforming Rwanda into a smart city. Furthermore, the lessons learned can be shared with other African cities.”
VIDEO: Excitement in the room in the launch of #SmartCityHub, which will transform lives of city dwellers. #ASCISummit #ASCIS2023 #InvestInAfrica https://t.co/Fy54j7Ddme pic.twitter.com/3CXiykfhTB
— City of Kigali (@CityofKigali) September 6, 2023
“Urbanisation is a powerful driver of economic development and social mobility. It is also a catalyst for technological progress, as we see in cities globally. Africa is no exception. We are already home to the fastest-growing cities. To get the cities we want, we must always keep the people we serve at the centre of our efforts,” President Kagame wrote in the Blueprint’s foreword.
2023 African Smart City Index, Kigali tops Africa
According to the 2023 African Smart City Index, Kigali emerged as Africa’s premier smart city among the 30 cities that participated in the assessment.
The index was unveiled on Wednesday, September 6, at Serena Hotel during the Africa Smart City Investment Summit held in Kigali.
Tunis, the capital of Tunisia, secured the second spot, while Nairobi, Kenya, clinched the third position as a smart city. Cape Town in South Africa and Accra in Ghana secured the fourth and fifth positions, respectively.
In the top 10 rankings, other cities included Lagos in Nigeria, Rabat in Morocco, Port Louis in Mauritius, Cairo in Egypt, and Johannesburg in South Africa.
These cities were also categorized and evaluated in various aspects. Kigali took the top spot in the e-governance category, secured the second position in the living and well-being promotion category, and ranked third in the environment protection and integration category.
Nairobi claimed first place in the economy and innovation category, Cape Town led in the Mobility and Access Category, Tunis topped the Living and Wellbeing category, and Port Louis secured the first position in the environment and integration category.
The Africa Smart and Sustainable Cities Index aims to provide a comprehensive assessment of the progress made by African cities in their journey towards becoming smart and sustainable.
