Friday, November 28, 2025
Nairobi City County has taken a historic step in its environmental transformation with the unveiling of the Nairobi City County Air Quality Action Plan (2025–2029) and the Nairobi City–Owned Air Quality Data Management System and Public Portal, marking a decisive milestone in the city’s long-term commitment to cleaner air, healthier communities, and evidence-based urban governance.
The launch event, held in Nairobi, brought together county leadership, global partners, technical experts, researchers, regulators, community organisations, and civil society groups, all united around a shared mission: protecting the health and well-being of Nairobi’s residents through bold, coordinated, and sustained action on air quality.
The new Action Plan responds to some of the city’s most urgent pressures: rapid urbanisation, rising vehicle emissions, industrial expansion, waste challenges, and the growing impacts of climate change. It provides a structured pathway for reducing pollution across key sectors and strengthens the institutional capacity of the County to manage air quality as a core development priority.
Speaking during the launch, CECM Maureen Njeri reaffirmed the County’s commitment to embedding air quality management into everyday governance, noting that the plan is closely aligned with the Nairobi City County Air Quality Act (2022) and the Climate Change Act (2024).
“This is more than a policy document,” she said. “It is a commitment to safeguarding health, dignity, and resilience for all Nairobians. Clean air is not a luxury, it is a necessity for the future we are building.”
The launch was further reinforced by technical partners from the Breathe Cities initiative, delivered by C40 Cities, the Clean Air Fund, and Bloomberg Philanthropies, who commended Nairobi’s rapid progress since joining the global programme. The initiative has supported the expansion of the city’s monitoring network, development of the data platform, and advancement of county-wide clean air strategies.
Representing Breathe Cities, Mike Saxton praised the County’s leadership, describing the milestones as a powerful example of what coordinated partnerships can achieve.
“Nairobi’s progress has been remarkably fast and truly collaborative,” he said. “These milestones place the city at the forefront of clean air action in Africa. When cities open up real-time air quality data to the public, everything changes. It strengthens accountability, improves policy, and helps protect communities most affected by pollution.”
The new Air Quality Data Management System and Public Portal marks the first time Nairobi has centralised, city-owned, real-time air quality data accessible to the public, policymakers, researchers, and the media. The system integrates data from reference-grade monitors and a growing network of low-cost sensors, 87 in total, creating the most extensive air quality monitoring platform in Kenya.
Njenga Muchekehu, Deputy Regional Director for Africa at C40 Cities, emphasised the global significance of Nairobi’s achievement, noting that few African cities have developed monitoring systems of this scale and transparency. He described clean air as a human right and called the launch “a clear signal that Nairobi is serious about using evidence and innovation to protect communities and build resilience.”
County technical leadership elaborated on how the Action Plan will advance implementation through strengthened enforcement, integration of air quality into county planning and budgeting, capacity building across departments, and expanded partnerships with civil society, academia, and the private sector.
Offering the County’s technical perspective, Chief Officer for Environment, Mr Hibrahim Otieno, highlighted the transformative nature of the milestone.
“Today is not just a project update; it is a turning point,” he said. “This plan is not for shelves—it is for action. For the first time, Nairobi has a comprehensive air quality inventory and a deeper understanding of pollution sources. Our interventions will be guided by data, not guesswork.”He added: “Clean air is not a privilege, it is a right. It is not optional; it is essential. And it is not tomorrow’s issue—it is today’s responsibility.”
Public health experts also underscored the urgency of addressing air pollution, which contributes significantly to respiratory illnesses in children, older persons, and communities living closest to pollution hotspots. They noted that the new plan strengthens the link between public health, climate resilience, and environmental justice.
As the County moves into the implementation phase, partners stressed that sustained financing, cross-departmental coordination, and expanded community engagement will be essential. The Action Plan outlines the need for institutionalising clean air governance, embedding air quality indicators into development plans, and strengthening ward-level monitoring and enforcement.
The launch concluded with a strong call for collective action, as speakers emphasised that the success of the plan rests on shared responsibility across government, civil society, private sector actors, and community groups.
In attendance were senior county leaders, representatives from WRI, officials from NEMA Kenya, development partners from the Breathe Cities initiative, youth organisations, community-based groups, academia, industry actors, and environmental advocates. Their presence underscored the strength and breadth of the coalition backing Nairobi’s clean air journey, and the collective resolve to deliver a healthier, more resilient, and more equitable city for all.
