Nairobi City County has launched its first city-owned air quality monitoring network in a landmark move aimed at tackling pollution and safeguarding public health.
The launch event, held on Tuesday, June 11, at Nairobi City Hall, was presided over by Governor Johnson Sakaja, marking what officials described as a critical milestone in the city’s environmental management strategy.
Fifty newly installed air quality sensors are now operational across the capital. The sensors will help identify pollution hotspots, inform environmental policies, and drive targeted, data-based interventions to improve air quality.
The initiative comes amid growing concern over the impact of pollution on public health. In 2019 alone, air pollution was linked to an estimated 2,500 premature deaths in Nairobi. In 2023, levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in the city were four times higher than the World Health Organization’s recommended limits.
The sensor network will provide real-time data, enabling authorities to take swift, evidence-backed action in response to pollution trends.
This effort is part of the Breathe Cities Nairobi initiative, a global program launched in September 2024. Nairobi is one of 14 cities participating in the initiative, which aims to reduce air pollution by thirty per cent by the year 2030, using 2019 as the baseline.
Speaking during the event, Governor Sakaja hailed the project as a turning point in the city’s journey toward cleaner air.
“This milestone marks a turning point in our commitment to improving air quality management. By deploying a city-owned air quality monitoring network, we are taking bold, practical steps to ensure that every Nairobi resident has access to cleaner, safer air,” Sakaja said. “This is a vital investment in the well-being of our people and the future of our city.”
Dr Victor Indasi, the Breathe Cities Lead in Kenya, echoed the governor’s sentiments, noting that the launch comes just ten months after the initiative’s debut in Nairobi.
“The deployment of the Nairobi City-Owned Air Quality Monitoring Network signals a new chapter in our collective efforts to tackle air pollution,” said Dr Indasi. “We look forward to the effective use of this network to inform both policy and the public, ushering in a new era of data-driven air quality management for our city.”
County Executive Committee Member for the Green Sector, Maureen Njeri, reiterated the county government’s commitment to using the new system effectively.
“The Nairobi City County Government, particularly the Green Sector, which I lead, is fully committed to ensuring this network delivers on its mandate,” she stated.
The air quality monitoring network is expected to significantly boost Nairobi’s capacity to respond to environmental challenges as it works toward a healthier, more sustainable urban future.
