NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

UNHabitat.predicts that 700 million people will be added to the cities of Africa in the next 35 years. That means an entire New York city needs to be built – every six months!

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That is a great challenge, but also a unique opportunity to rethink the African city of the future, leapfrogging over the outdated infrastructure and mindsets of the 20th century and create a 21st century city based on African needs, African culture and African environment. Africa has already taken the lead when it comes to mobile banking and mobile health with new solutions are being developed and implemented in Africa faster than anywhere else.

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The rapid development of the cities in Africa open up the same opportunities for redesigning the city, based on the latest mobile and sensor technologies and the internet of things. African cities are not stuck in infrastructure in the same way as European and Amerian cities which gives them a big advantage in implementing the smart city of the future.

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That is why we are setting up “The Future City of Africa” conference and expo in Nairobi, June 9th-11th. There we will bring together the brightest minds of Africa. Up and coming thought leaders that are already starting to shape the future. Visionary architects, brave entrepreneurs, mad innovators and critical authors. Mayors that care about the future of their city and the prosperity of their people. Investors from Silicon Valley, Europe and Africa and business people that are ready to think out of the box and build the businesses of tomorrow.