Kenya’s ambitions to deploy advanced technology to manage Nairobi’s chaotic transport system have suffered a major setback after the US halted funding for a $59.9 million (KSh7.76 billion). Geographic Information System (GIS) platform designed to bring real-time digital intelligence to the city’s traffic and mobility network.
The platform, the backbone of the Kenya Millennium Development Fund Nairobi Metropolitan Area (NMA) Multimodal Transport System, was meant to centralise all urban transport data, provide live traffic mapping, track public transport flows, and guide long-term urban planning.
At just 30% completion, the project has now stalled following a major shift in U.S. foreign aid policy under President Donald Trump, derailing a deal originally signed with former USA President Joe Biden during President William Ruto’s 2023 visit to Washington.
Under the initial agreement, the U.S. was to provide US$44.8 million (KSh5.8 billion) of the project budget, while Kenya would contribute $12 million (KSh1.56 billion). The digital transport management system was expected to be fully operational by June 2027.
With tech at the heart of Nairobi’s future transport, the GIS platform was set to transform how Nairobi manages mobility by integrating satellite data, road sensors, public transport GPS feeds, and infrastructure maps into a single digital command system.
With these capabilities, the city would be able to predict and manage congestion in real-time, optimise traffic-light synchronisation, map pedestrian and cycling patterns, monitor the performance of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) network, and support more effective zoning, land-use planning, and road-safety decision-making.
This model is not new in Africa. Rwanda, Morocco, South Africa, and Egypt have already deployed GIS-based urban mobility platforms to manage BRT lines, track road incidents and guide city expansion.
Nairobi hoped to join that emerging league of smart African cities using geospatial intelligence to tame congestion and improve service delivery.
According to the Business Daily, the Treasury report reveals that the cancellation forms part of a broader rollback of Biden-era agreements, with over $833 million (KSh108 billion) in USA commitments now terminated under Trump’s aid cuts and USAID restructuring.
The move has also halted funding for Nairobi’s BRT Line 2, which was expected to connect Rongai, Bomas, the CBD, Ruiru, Thika and Kenol.
Kenya’s Treasury says stalled components will be reassessed under The Nairobi Metropolitan Transport Authority in the next financial year, but without external funding, implementation remains uncertain. For now, Nairobi’s transformation into a data-driven smart transport hub hangs in the balance.
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