Africa's population shifting to cities
26 November 2010
Historically a predominately rural continent, Africa is currently on the brink of a dramatic demographic shift. In 2009, Africa’s total population surpassed one billion inhabitants, and, for the first time, the population growth rate in Africa’s cities is set to exceed that of rural settlements. According to UN-HABITAT’s State of African Cities 2010, the share of Africans living in cities is set to jump from 40% in 2009 to 60% in 2050. The projections of this report indicate that Lagos, Nigeria, will surpass Cairo to become Africa’s most populous city, while Kinshasha, DR Congo, is expected become the fastest-growing city on the continent and top Cairo’s population within a decade. However, in spite of these staggering demographic figures, 70 per cent of Africa’s urban population growth is predicted to occur in smaller cities home to less than 500 000 inhabitants.

The expansion of African urban centres has the potential to considerably improve the quality of life for city dwellers across the continent. According to UN-HABITAT, urbanisation is correlated with better wages, an improved developmental trajectory and an overall higher standard of living. In Africa, the population explosion has led to the formation of substantial urban corridors that foster enhanced connections for trade, labour and transportation between major commerce centres, allowing for major cities’ economic vitality to reach far beyond their city limits.

However, intelligent city management is the key to unlocking megacities’ potential benefits. If Africa’s rapid urbanisation is not carefully guided, urban struggles such as sprawl, slum expansion, climate change and the concomitant sea level rise and environmental degradation will surely be exacerbated. “The issue now is for regional and national governments, local authorities and all other stakeholders to pull together to ensure the efficient management of urban agglomerations,” said Joan Clos, Executive Director of UN-HABITAT. “Smart urban policies could help spread the benefits and lift the continent out of poverty.”

With more than one quarter of Africa’s population living within 100 kilometres from the coast, Africans are particularly prone to the hazards of sea level rise, and the urban poor are disproportionately affected. To ward off carbon emissions and climate change, UN-HABITAT recommends prioritising energy efficiency in all stages of urban design, compact city planning so as to encourage shorter commutes and eco-friendly transportation (such as biking and walking) and environmentally conscious legislation that promotes green technology and discourages excessive private vehicle usage. Moreover, to control the sprawl of urban slums and develop an adequate urban housing stock, UN-HABITAT calls on Sub-Saharan Africa to look to cities in Northern Africa—particularly in Egypt, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia—which have cut the number of slum dwellers in half in just two decades. These cities have formulated public-private partnerships that furnish city residents with sufficient low-income and market-rate housing. “No African government can afford to ignore the ongoing rapid urban transition taking place across the continent,” says Clos. “Cities must become priority areas for public policies, with hugely increased investments to build adequate governance capacities, equitable services delivery, affordable housing provision and better wealth distribution.”