Nairobi Allocates $9.1 Million for AI Traffic System to Replace Police

The Kenyan government has allocated KES 1.18 billion ($9.1 million) for the next financial year to expand Nairobi’s Intelligent Transport System (ITS) Phase III. This initiative aims to replace manual traffic control by police officers with an AI-powered network of smart traffic lights, surveillance cameras, and road sensors. The project, managed by the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (Kura), will integrate 125 major intersections into a central command hub at City Cabanas. The system uses artificial intelligence to monitor real-time traffic, detect violations such as speeding and red-light offenses, and dynamically adjust signal timings to reduce congestion. This investment marks a significant increase from the current allocation and reflects the government's strategy to mitigate the estimated annual economic loss of KES 120 billion caused by traffic jams. Financed partly by a concessional loan from the Export–Import Bank of China, the project seeks to eliminate human interfaces in traffic control, mirroring systems used in London and Chinese cities. The rollout is expected to gradually reduce the need for traffic police at major junctions, improving efficiency for Nairobi’s five million residents.