Africa’s Explosive Growth in Cities

Today nearly three-quarters of Africans live in either an urban or semiurban setting, according to new UN methodology that applies a consistent global definition. Some 42 per cent live in cities. There are 88 African cities with more than 1mn people, according to the UN, 17 in Nigeria alone. In 1950, there were 228mn people living in Africa, with about 33mn in cities. Today there are 1.6bn Africans, 19 per cent of the world’s total, of whom 670mn live in cities. Almost unnoticed, Africa has become an urban story. Cities are the crucible of modernity. Their rise in Africa will affect everything from income and economic growth to social attitudes and politics. … The unplanned nature squanders the efficiencies — and ultimately wealth creation — that occur in densely packed, well-planned, well-connected conurbations. “For the most part you’re seeing the growth of cities happen outward,” Paller says. “There’s very little state capacity, so you don’t see a lot of the benefits of what people tend to think of from cities.” FT