Rapid urbanisation in Africa increases planning needs

Cities are growing rapidly all over the world, particularly in Africa. Increased levels of investments and large infrastructure projects are booming across the continent, and cities are the centres of economic growth.

This development provides opportunities to improve the overall quality of life for city dwellers, however urban planning authorities are often lagging behind. In addition, much of the ongoing construction of new properties is inaccessible to poor urban newcomers, who as a result settle informally with limited access to basic services like water and sanitation.

Drawing on experiences from Kigamboni New City Project, a major urban development project currently underway in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, this article highlights some of the challenges posed by rapid urbanisation. The article was published in Politiken 31 October, the day of the UN's World Cities Day.