Nairobi Ranks 80th Among Most Stressful Cities in the World

Nairobi is one of the most stressful cities in the world, a new report has revealed.

Vaay, a German-based well-being company ranked the Kenyan capital at position 80 in a list of 100 countries, with the 100^th rank being the most stressful.

The survey analyzed and assessed 100 global cities based on various factors including safety and security, gender and minority equality, social-political stability, population density, pollution levels, financial stress, and traffic congestion.

According to the report, Nairobi scores high in having conducive weather conditions and lower levels of light and air pollution. This anchored its overall score of 56.1 out of the possible 100 points.

However, the city scored low in access to healthcare, noise pollution, political stability, safety, and security. It also has a high population density that averages 6,318 individuals per square kilometer.

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Nairobi’s frustrating traffic snarl-ups gave it a below-average score of 46.6 points on traffic congestion. In regards to minority equality, the city also scored below-average results.

Among the surveyed cities, Iceland’s capital Reykjavik emerged as the least stressful city across the globe with a combined score of 100 points. It also registered three-100 points’ scores on gender equality, air, and noise pollution.

Cities that appeared on the top 10 list of the least stressful cities include Bern in Switzerland, Helsinki, Wellington, and Melbourne, Australia; Oslo, Copenhagen; Innsbruck, Hannover, and Graz in Austria.

Among the bottom-most stressful cities in the list included Mumbai in India, which posted a mere score of 1, Lagos, Manila, New Delhi, Baghdad, and Kabul.

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South Africa’s Johannesburg ranks as the least stressful city in Africa. It was ranked at position 49 in the top-100 list.

Cape Town, Algiers, and Casablanca also rank ahead of Nairobi at positions 51, 78, and 79 respectively.

Urban Stress in Nairobi

Urban stress in Nairobi is a conspicuous phenomenon. It has been exacerbated by a range of stressors including lack of proper housing, overcrowding, pollution, and high crime rates that cause significant anxiety to city residents.

With industrialization and the growth of various sectors taking shape, the government is doing little to address the significant pressures on resources mainly due to insufficient or lack of urban planning and development for the increasing population.

Kenya has so far been successful in reducing poverty. Data from the 2018 World Bank Report showed that the number of Kenyans living under the international ‘dollar a day’ poverty line decreased from 46.8% in 2005-06 to 36.1% in 2015-16.

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Still, there is massive inequality in incomes in different parts of the country and amongst different groups of people. Within Nairobi, the situation is less severe than in other parts of the country. The distribution of poverty is quite evenly spread over the city, with slum settlements found in almost all parts of Nairobi.

With the increasing population, urban stressors are becoming a significant problem in the city. For instance, the high influx of migrant workers from Kenya and surrounding regions has forced Nairobi to outgrow its resource base.

The high demand for housing and a lack of supply has caused a surge in the growth of slums, which lack the appropriate resources to fully develop and grow into city neighborhoods.

Far from inadequate housing, Nairobians are faced with a plethora of other challenges. Although incomes may be better in some parts, people still do not have access to appropriate sources of water, housing, and so on, and therefore, Kenyan still has a long way to go in making life easy for its citizens.

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Nairobi’s appearing in the list of the most stressful cities in the world has been further worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. The levels of pressure, stress, worry, and anxiety seem to be of intensity among the populations because the economy hasn’t fully opened yet.

Poor Nairobians who were unable to find work in an economy that was already volatile before Covid-19, are still roaming the streets trying to make ends meet. And despite the obvious rise in pressure on individuals (as well as economies), such stressors are largely neglected by most.

Of course, urban stress is indispensable; but there is a need to promote positive environmental appraisals, through media, for instance, to develop a sense of belongingness with the city. High internal locus of control is instrumental in this regard to reduce the effect of stress by effective coping.

There is a need to further strengthen the social support system by maintaining a healthy neighborhood and close interactions with family and friends to improve one’s quality of life.

These, including effective and inclusive development planning, will go a long way in ensuring Nairobi is ejected from the list of the most stressful cities in the world.