The incredible £11bn smart city that will transform major African country

A huge multi-billion-pound technology city is being developed in one of Africa's most well-known countries. Konzo Technopolis, also known as Silicon Savannah, is a £11 billion project by Kenya's Government that involves the construction of a planned city designed to strengthen science, innovation, and technology, thereby boosting the country's economic growth.

The development is being constructed 39 miles south of Kenya's capital, Nairobi, across a 5,000-acre land. The groundbreaking for the tech hub was done in January 2013, but construction work faced various delays. As of now, the city is being built in phases, with Phase One nearly complete.

Phase One covers approximately 400 acres of the land and includes work on roads, water and sewer systems, power distribution, data networks, and public utilities. The Konzo Technopolis Development Authority (KoTDA) revealed that over 80% of the horizontal infrastructure, such as paved roads, drainage and street lighting, has been completed, reports Africa Business Communities.

According to the official website, 3,500 direct jobs have already been created so far, and reports suggest that once Phase One is fully operational, it will generate at least 16,000 jobs.

The initial phase for the development of the Kenya Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), a postgraduate-only university, was also completed this year. The academic establishment, constructed in partnership with South Korea, aims to advance STEM courses and improve the number of specialists in Kenya.

The second phase of the university will include the setup of labs, hiring faculty, and an academic launch in 2026, while the same phase for the entire development will focus on a series of plans, including improving transport links between Konzo and Nairobi, implementing smart parking, digital signs, and electric vehicle services, and starting up an ecosystem.

A five-star hotel and conference facility will also be built as part of phase two in the Konza Complex Office, which was completed in 2019. The site features the city's headquarters and other offices. It was the first thing completed in Konza.

While there is no official year as to when the city will be completed, when the time comes, it is expected to feature schools, hospitals, homes, offices, tech businesses, community spaces, and be "a sustainable, digitally driven city" that contributes at least 2% to the national GDP.