IMD 2026: Nairobi Fails to Keep Pace With Leading Smart Cities

Zurich has topped the IMD Smart City Index for the seventh consecutive year, with Oslo, Geneva, London, and Copenhagen completing the top five, according to the 2026 report released on Tuesday by the IMD World Competitiveness Centre.

The IMD Smart City Index 2026, titled The Quest for Trust and Transparency, evaluates 148 cities worldwide. The report emphasises that a city’s “smartness” is defined more by governance, transparency, and citizen participation than by technological infrastructure or futuristic urban design. 

Cities where residents feel informed and involved in government decision-making consistently achieve higher satisfaction across multiple aspects of urban life. Arturo Bris, Director of the World Competitiveness Centre, highlighted that leading cities are not measured by visible technology, such as sensor networks or digital skylines, but by their ability to combine governance, sustainability, investment, and public trust. 

According to the report, trust underpins smart city performance, supporting investments in institutions and infrastructure that reinforce confidence when delivered transparently. The Index shows that Gulf cities such as Dubai (6th) and Abu Dhabi (10th) perform strongly when government services are reliable and of high quality. 

By contrast, Hanoi (97th) and Ho Chi Minh City (105th) demonstrate high trust in online government services despite lower overall rankings. Major Indian technology hubs, including Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad, rank in the lower third: their strong digital economy is offset by weaker governance and participation scores.

The report also highlights shifts in city rankings. AlUla in Saudi Arabia rose 27 places, while Washington DC gained 23. Bordeaux and Lyon fell 19 places, and Ottawa and Shenzhen dropped 18. 

Cities at the bottom of the Index, including Rome, Athens, São Paulo, Amman, and Nairobi, show technology scores exceeding governance performance but still rank poorly overall. Athens and Rome recorded low anti-corruption scores and citizen participation levels below many Sub-Saharan African cities.

IMD’s methodology relies on resident perceptions rather than solely on quantitative data. Each city is assessed through surveys of approximately 400 residents, selected to reflect the Subnational Human Development Index, placing human experience at the centre of the evaluation.