Asian Journal of Research in Business Economics and Management

The most common sources of air pollution in cities are traffic congestion and traffic-related pollutants. Rapid urbanization in emerging nations has resulted in a large-scale expansion of motor vehicle usage, causing cities to become more crowded and polluting. There is a growing recognition that the current state of air quality in East African cities is unacceptably poor. This study examines existing traffic pollution issues in Nairobi, Kenya, and how they may be solved. The article starts with an overview of urbanization and its impact on pollution. It then goes on to look at the particular example of Nairobi as it seeks answers to the harmful consequences of pollution via a lens that views traffic congestion as critical to reducing traffic-related air pollution. It argues that the most efficient approach to reduce traffic congestion and, therefore, traffic pollution is to combine infrastructural, policy, regulatory, and softer measures. Furthermore, the study emphasizes the need for further research into the lived experience of navigating everyday life in Nairobi, as well as deeper investigation of the social, economic, and environmental viability of possible city solutions. While Nairobi is utilized as a case study city, the lessons gained are applicable to cities across the East African area, which share many of the same characteristics of traffic congestion and pollution.