# Background<sup>1</sup>

According to a 2014 United Nations World Urbanization Prospects report, roughly 40 percent of Africans live in urban areas, and by 2050 that number is expected to rise above 55 percent.<sup>2</sup> Once considered a predominately rural continent, Africa is now experiencing rapid urbanization. While this transformation offers African cities a tremendous opportunity for economic growth, it is also necessary to ensure that these cities become livable places that can attract both firms and people. As African cities rapidly grow and densify, governments face the challenge of supporting a swelling population with adequate infrastructure and services.

As a nation urbanizes, more people have the chance to benefit from the economic and social opportunities cities have to offer. These benefits include access to a larger job markets and higher quality public services. For those looking to start a business, cities offer a larger pool of customers and closer proximity to suppliers. But such rapid growth also brings about great challenges for governments. A swelling population can overwhelm a city’s infrastructure in various ways: clogging the streets with traffic, generating a housing shortage, and overloading its public services. If poorly managed, growth can exacerbate inequalities and lessen access to services, employment and housing‐ creating an environment where the benefits of a city are not equitably shared. Evidence of this inequality is reflected in the high rates of urban poverty in African cities. According to the United Nations, urban poverty in Sub‐Saharan Africa is growing at a rate of 3.6%, double the global rate.<sup>3</sup> Population increase places high demands on infrastructure and housing. A recent UN Habitat report stresses that the “lack of modern infrastructure is an impediment to Africa’s economic development and a major constraint on poverty reduction.”<sup>4</sup> African cities lag behind other low income areas when it comes to high quality roads and affordable housing. A recent study found that the average density of paved roads per capita in Sub‐Saharan Africa is roughly 65% less than that of other low‐income countries outside the region.<sup>5</sup> The supply of formally constructed and affordable housing in Africa also remains low. The Centre for Affordable Housing Finance in Africa estimates that only 10‐15% of Africans can afford the cheapest housing option available through mortgage financing. As a result, slums and unregulated housing are also expanding at unprecedented rates, with roughly 70% of all African city dwellers living in ‘slum’ like conditions.<sup>6</sup> Smart land use planning will be instrumental in limiting the growth of urban slums and encouraging the construction of quality housing. Efforts in integrating transport investments with land use management decisions can improve a city’s mobility, thus connecting more residents to more jobs and giving them more freedom and options when picking a place to live. In addition, creating flexible yet enforceable building regulations can encourage more livable and durable construction. Lastly, planners should

> 1 This work was done as part of the Spatial Development of African cities project (P148736) and funded by UK DFID through the MDTF for Sustainable Urban Development TF071544.

> 2 United Nations. Departments of Economic and Social Affairs, World Urbanization Prospects 2014.

> 3 United Nations Population Division, World Urbanization Prospects: The 2011 Revision (New York: United Nations, 2012).

> 4 UN Habitat Infrastructure for Economic Development and Poverty Reduction in Africa 2011.

> 5 Vivien Foster and Cecilia Briceno‐Garmendia. Africa’s Infrastructure: A Time for Transformation. 2009.

> 6 Tibaijuka, A.J., ‘Africa on the move: An urban crisis in the making’, United Nations Human Settlements Programme, December 2004, http://www.preventionweb.net.

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