Urban innovation to take centre stage at New Cities Summit in Nairobi

Organized by the Charter Cities Institute (CCI) in partnership with the Africa Infrastructure Development Association (AfIDA), the competition will connect developers with financiers, policymakers, and experts.

“The demand for well-planned, economically vibrant cities is greater than ever, yet many promising projects struggle to transition from vision to reality,” said Michael Holstein, Summit organizer and Head of Communications at CCI. The Cities Catapult will provide mentorship and strategic guidance, culminating in a high-stakes pitch competition, with the winning project receiving tailored support and investment opportunities.

Eligible projects include new city developments, mixed-use Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and Industrial Development Zones (IDZs) with populations under 300,000, as well as core urban projects focusing on affordable housing, transport, and climate resilience. Investment funds dedicated to large-scale urban projects (500+ hectares, projected populations of at least 50,000) are also encouraged to participate.

Past projects pitched at the New Cities Summit 2023 in Kigali included Kigali Innovation City (Rwanda), Enyimba Economic City (Nigeria), Fumba Town (Zanzibar), Maluku Preserve City (DR Congo), Itana (Nigeria), Small Farm Cities (Malawi), and Gabriel King City (Zambia).

The 2025 summit, hosted in collaboration with Smart Cities Council, KenInvest, and Kenya Development Corporation, is expected to convene over 400 policymakers, investors, developers, and urban planning experts. Key sessions will explore strategies for managing urban expansion, risk mitigation in city projects, the role of critical minerals in development, and evolving models for SEZs.

Confirmed speakers include Patrick Lamson-Hall (Fitted Projects), Linda Kavuka (Students for Liberty Africa), Willie Vos (Waterfall City), Preston Mendenhall (Rendeavour), Leslie Ohomele (King’s Foundation), Michael Strong (Socratic Experience), Leonard Wantchekon (Africa School of Economics), and Vivek Mittal (AfIDA), among others. Additional speakers and panels will be announced in the lead-up to the event.