DEVELOP & INVEST
‘ Due to a lack of legacy infrastructure , we can construct these projects with fewer complications . Instead of undoing past development , African nations can immediately start laying the foundations of their own smart cities .
‘ The sharp continental increase in active technology hubs is evidence of governments ’ appetite in this regard . By 2018 , the number of active tech hubs across Africa had grown to 442 – a 50 % increase since 2014 .’
What ’ s so smart about these cities ?
While housing innovative tech companies , smart cities also employ devices and sensors to improve basic aspects of mobility ( traffic , public transport and roadworks ), water and sanitation , e . g . meters that can be remotely monitored , and predictive analytics to enable proactive maintenance of key infrastructure .
‘ This trend is predominantly driven by Baby Boomers being replaced by Millennials in strategic management positions and planning . Consideration is given to the maturing Gen Z workforce , and a workspace that continues to attract top talent .
‘ In addition to obvious tech-infrastructure benefits of a smart city , offices now need to highlight a company ’ s contribution to being good corporate global citizens ,’ says Cooper .
He emphasises the importance to Gen Z ’ ers of their company ’ s commitment to societal challenges such as climate change , sustainability , and famine .
Geness adds that better incident response to disaster management , law enforcement and public safety are equally important .
‘ Digital technologies offer city planners the potential to solve some of the most urgent urban problems while also creating a bridge to the future . Lay foundations for tomorrow ’ s smart cities now through engaging with high-tech partners , and start building the platforms that enable data-driven innovation .
‘ The guiding principles of this process should be the reimagining of public service delivery to citizens , and increasing the resilience of city infrastructure .’
26 T R E N D S
‘ This presents a massive opportunity for forward-thinking property developers to get involved . Demand for smart-city space will grow , and landlords who don ’ t adapt will be left behind .’
Continental challenge
Sunil Geness is spokesperson and director of Global Government Affairs & CSR at SAP Africa . He says smart cities represent a new model for local government service delivery , applying the extensive use of technology and data for an improved citizen experience .
‘ Success often hinges on their ability to join the dots – using sensors , mobile applications and other sources to uncover new insights and identify trends for better service delivery .’
He says that what ’ s exciting about Africa ’ s smart-city prospects is that Africa remains underdeveloped compared to other regions .
Esther de Villiers