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Home to more than 1.48 billion people, Africa is a continent of immense diversity and growing economic influence. Among its 54 nations, Kenya stands out not only for its population of approximately 55 million but also as the largest economy in Eastern Africa. This economic leadership, coupled with a young, tech-savvy population, has attracted increasing interest from global investors looking to tap into the region’s innovation potential. As a result, Kenya has become a hub for tech startup incubators, earning the nickname “Silicon Savannah” for its fast-growing digital ecosystem.

Since 1997, the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) has been funding a wide range of development projects to secure Kenya’s technological advancement capabilities. Alain Kiyindou, co-author of African Economies in 2023, said in an interview with AFD, “More tech companies are developing in Africa than in the rest of the world.” Investment in Kenyan technological enterprises has only increased since then. One of the largest projects supported by foreign investors and the Kenyan government is Konza Technopolis, a smart city that is part of Kenya’s Vision 2030 plans.

Spanning 5,000 acres southeast of the capital city, Nairobi, Konza is expected to create upwards of 240,000 employment opportunities, house tens of thousands of people, and contribute an estimated 2 percent of Kenya’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). As of 2025, $800 million of the estimated $14.5 billion project has already gone into the development of Konza. Like other smart city technology hubs, drones are playing a major role in the Konza project.

Aiming to position Kenya as a premier example of how drones can be seamlessly integrated into shared airspace is the ambitious Konza National Drone Corridor (KNDC). This innovative project envisions a multi-story drone corridor stretching across a carefully designated airspace within the Konza Technopolis smart city. The corridor will span several kilometers, designed to safely accommodate high volumes of drone traffic operating simultaneously.

Equipped with advanced digital infrastructure, the KNDC will include drone ports for takeoff, landing, charging stations, maintenance hubs, and control centers to manage traffic flow and ensure safety. Its primary purpose is to facilitate efficient commercial drone operations, such as deliveries, surveillance, and data collection, while serving as a model for drone regulation and urban air mobility in Africa and beyond.

Konza Technopolis has partnered with High Lander Aviation, an Israeli company founded in 2018 and headquartered in Tel Aviv, to bring the KNDC to life. High Lander specializes in drone traffic management systems, including Unmanned Traffic Management (UTM), which is a technology platform that enables real-time monitoring, coordination, and safe integration of multiple drones in shared airspace. Its Vega UTM platform will provide the digital framework for monitoring and controlling drone movements within the corridor.

This partnership represents a milestone as the first integration of an autonomous drone airspace control system into a smart city infrastructure in Africa. The collaboration aligns closely with the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) to ensure safe, scalable, and regulated drone operations that could set a precedent for other urban centers on the continent.

John Paul Okwiri, CEO of Konza Technopolis Development Authority (KoTDA), explained that all aspects of integrating the drone corridor into the smart city are coming together because of the involved parties’ desire to truly push the limits of drones and technology as a whole. “The Konza National Drone Corridor is a clear demonstration of Konza Technopolis’ commitment to pioneering innovation and shaping the future of smart cities in Africa,” he said. Meanwhile, Eden Peled, Country Director at High Lander Aviation, said, “With the support of the KCAA, this project will allow airspace stakeholders to showcase the diverse applications of UAS technology and show how they can be safely integrated into controlled airspaces at scale.”

The KCAA officially approved the establishment of the KNDC on July 9, 2025, marking a major step forward for drone integration in Kenya. Building on this progress, KoTDA will host a UTM event on September 3, 2025, to showcase the latest advancements in drone traffic management technology and highlight the KNDC’s role as a pioneering platform for safe and efficient drone operations in the region. Collaborative projects like the KNDC, which support the development of Konza Technopolis, further emphasize Mr. Kiyindou’s view of Kenya as the next major tech incubator. By fostering innovation and embracing cutting-edge drone technology, Kenya is not only building its own future but also setting an example for Africa’s expanding digital economy.

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