Huawei's ITS Project in Kenya Wins the Pyramid Award 2026 from WTSA

[Xiamen, China, September 17, 2026] The World Transportation Sciences Academy (WTSA) has announced the winners of the Pyramid Award 2026. Among the winners is the Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) Project jointly implemented by Huawei and the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA), the Nairobi Intelligent Transport System Establishment and Junction Improvement Project (Phase III). The project is a flagship national digital transportation initiative in Kenya and the world's largest urban ITS project. It aims to improve road safety, traffic efficiency, and emergency response in Nairobi through advanced intelligent systems for traffic and incident management, as well as information services, supporting the goals of Kenya Vision 2030.

Established by WTSA, the Pyramid Award, dubbed the "Nobel Prize of transportation," recognizes groundbreaking achievements and leading innovations across the global transportation sector. It serves as an international benchmark for evaluating an enterprise's technological innovation and industry impact in transportation.

Traffic Challenges Facing Nairobi

Nairobi, Kenya's capital and political, economic, and cultural center, is one of East Africa's most important transport hubs, serving nearly a quarter of the country's population. However, its traffic management infrastructure has struggled to keep pace with urban growth. Residents spend an average of 56 minutes per day in traffic congestion, while traffic signals cover less than 5% of intersections. As a result, traffic congestion causes approximately US$237 million in indirect economic losses in Kenya each year.

Huawei Reshapes Nairobi's Traffic Management from Perception to Application

To address these challenges, Huawei has designed an end-to-end feasible ITS solution for KURA, covering infrastructure development and closed-loop business operations. The solution adopts a four-layer architecture comprising perception, communication, platform, and application layers. It connects signal controllers at hundreds of intersections, checkpoints, Variable Message Signs (VMSs), and traffic flow monitoring systems across multiple road sections with the Nairobi traffic management platform and monitoring center. Key technologies include:

1. Automatic incident detection: A CV model enables 24/7 automatic detection of traffic accidents across the city, allowing incidents to be identified and handled within seconds and helping lower accident rates.

2. Real-time signal optimization: The solution combines actuated control, adaptive control, and multi-period optimization to improve intersection signal control and help alleviate urban traffic congestion.

3. End-to-end network security: The solution protects ITS networks throughout their entire lifecycle, safeguarding transportation data.

These technologies have helped Huawei reduce traffic accidents in Kenya and ease congestion in Nairobi. In addition, KURA will collaborate with Huawei to launch Kenya's first national ITS standard, supporting more consistent ITS development across the country.

To date, Huawei has served more than 100 ports, more than 210 airports and airlines, over 300 urban rail lines, over 180,000 kilometers of railways, road networks extending over 200,000 kilometers, ITS projects across over 70 cities, and more than 200 logistics enterprises across the globe.

Looking ahead, Huawei will continue practicing the "platform + ecosystem" strategy. The company specializes in developing transportation hubs, transportation networks, passenger/freight flows, and low-altitude air systems to establish a digital and intelligent foundation for comprehensive transportation and logistics. Huawei is committed to "driving mobility and logistics into the intelligent world," empowering smart transportation.