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The number of people living in urban areas in Africa will double to more than one billion by 2042, according to World Bank estimates. The continent is urbanizing at a faster rate than before. By 2040, Africa will be home to nine mega-cities hosting more than ten million people
The number of people living in urban areas in Africa will double to more than one billion by 2042, according to World Bank estimates. The continent is urbanizing at a faster rate than before. By 2040, Africa will be home to nine mega-cities hosting more than ten million people.
Luanda, Dar es Salam, Khartoum, Johannesburg, and Addis Ababa are some of the cities headed for megacity status, joining Lagos, Kinshasa, and Cairo. Cities are key to driving trade, investment, and GDP growth.
However, rapid urbanization has created capacity problems for cities, and local governments are struggling to plan, and provide infrastructure, public transport, and other social services.
A 2013 Report by the World Bank says that urbanization is the single most important transformation taking place on the African continent, with more than 450 million new urban dwellers expected by 2040
Strong commitment from African policymakers is needed to reform policy and legal frameworks for better integration of city planning and management; increase the scale and quality of infrastructure investments, and strengthen the institutions and systems that make cities competitive, livable and sustainable next phase of Africa’s development will set the stage for efficient, inclusive, and sustainable urbanization to spur economic growth, end poverty, and boost shared prosperity
However, the report cautions that most African cities do not have sufficient policy coordination, suffer from inefficient planning, and lack adequate infrastructure and services to realize the potential gains of urbanization – but notes that there is still time to get urbanization processes right.
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The report highlights the importance of building efficient, inclusive, and sustainable cities to harness the potential of urbanization. It emphasizes that investment in making cities efficient is likely to provide the highest returns in the face of an uncertain and fast-changing economy, but cautions that efficiency enhancements go hand in hand with strengthening inclusion to ensure the poor are not left behind. In addition, it urges that the negative external social and environmental costs that come with ill-managed urbanization must be avoided.
