Africa's cities at a turning point

As climate pressure and fast urban growth collide, experts say Africa must build smarter, retrofit wisely, and design cities that protect people first.

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Observed annually on 31 October, World Cities Day highlights the transformative potential of people-centred smart cities in creating fair, prosperous, sustainable, and inclusive urban environments.

This year’s theme emphasises the need to design cities that improve the quality of life and build resilience for all communities.

In Africa, climate change heightens the urgency of inclusive urban development. Without sufficient action, an estimated 118 million people living in extreme poverty could face increased exposure to drought, flooding, and severe heat by 2030.

These climate-induced events threaten to damage infrastructure, disrupt economies, and harm public health - causing physical injuries and mental stress - as well as reducing access to essential goods through broken supply chains and resource production.

Climate adaptation in Africa, therefore, involves creating cities that withstand and regenerate without reinforcing the social and economic inequalities embedded in many of Africa’s urban environments through the continent's colonial past. Most of these inequalities persist unintentionally. Poorer areas in cities worldwide are generally less well supplied with services and amenities, have poorer air quality, and less access to green space - factors with a range of ripple effects on health and educational outcomes. Deprivation is linked to low life expectancy and poor life chances overall.

Africa's urbanisation agenda presents a significant opportunity

Research indicates that nearly half of Africa's population (over 700 million people) already resides in urban areas, and this figure is projected to double (to 1.4 billion) by 2050 as Africa records an unprecedented rate of urban expansion. To accommodate increasing demand, the temptation to develop new cities on greenfield sites beyond existing city centres is substantial.