Africa is the world’s least urbanized continent, and yet the rate at which its cities are expanding is growing faster than no other worldwide – at an average of 3.5 percent per year. This growth of urbanization does, however, vary across the continent, ranging from the already heavily urbanized North Africa (47.8 percent) to the least urbanized Sub-Saharan Africa (32.8 percent).The aggregate rate of urbanization on the continent is projected to grow from 40 percent in 2015 to 56 percent in 2050.
The enormous speed at which Africa’s cities are growing is linked to other key development trends, most prominently accelerating economic and population growth, increasing migration from rural to urban areas, and the youth bulge. It is strongly driven by Africans’ perceptions that cities – in contrast to the continent’s rural areas – offer an abundance of livelihood opportunities, including employment and income-generating opportunities, food security, and access to finance, education and social capital as well as social protection.
March 4, 2020
Addressing the Challenges of Urbanization in Africa
Related
Nigeria Economic Update (Issue 4)
Recently released power sector report by the
National Bureau of Statistics records a total average energy generation of 2,548GWH
by 25 power stations, from October 2016 to December 2016. Daily
Energy generation, attained the 2016Q4 highest level of 3,859.6MW in October
2016, and a lowest level of 2522MW in the same month. On the average, current
daily energy generated which is below 3,000MW, prompts system malfunctions.
Thus, the irregular power generation and supply experienced in recent times is
attributable to shortage of gas owing to non-functional major pipelines, in
addition to the inability of GENCOs to make payments for the available gas
supply. Given the recent challenges to power supply, efforts should
be geared towards the diversification of electricity generation. Government
should consider investment in renewable as well as coal energy to complement
gas power supply.
Dr. Ebere Uneze Joins Experts, Policymakers At The World Economic Forum (WEF)
Dr. Ebere Uneze, Executive Director, CSEA, will join other experts, policymakers and global leaders for a meeting organised by Friends Africa, the Roll Back Malaria Partnership, UNITAID and the Global