Interview with Anacláudia Rossbach, Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director, UN-Habitat
What are the consequences of Africa’s fast-growing urbanisation, and should the continent control this phenomenon?
Africa’s rapid urbanisation presents a mix of opportunities, such as job creation, increased productivity, and investment in sectors like technology and manufacturing, but also significant challenges, including widespread informal economies, inadequate infrastructure, environmental degradation, social inequalities, weak governance, unregulated urban sprawl, and public health risks stemming from overcrowding and poor sanitation.
The continent is undergoing a transformative urbanisation surge. Data tells us that Africa’s urban population is set to double by 2050, growing by 600 million people. By 2025, Africa will host six more megacities. According to the Economist Intelligence Unit report, Luanda, Dar es Salaam, Cairo, Kinshasa, Lagos, and greater Johannesburg are on track to become some of the world’s largest metropolitan hubs.
But are African cities ready? Where and how will they house additional population? With nearly 240 million people living in informal settlements, representing almost half of Africa’s urban population, cities face systemic infrastructure gaps. Millions still lack access to water, electricity, and sanitation. Unplanned urban sprawl threatens rural and environmental surroundings and biodiversity; it also creates social tensions and puts pressure on municipal fiscal revenues in an economic sphere dominated by informality; more than 75% of municipal revenues depend on informal sectors.
However, rapid urbanisation also brings benefits. It can drive growth and economic development, as cities are responsible for 80% of GDP. With my experience over the decades, I believe rapid urbanisation should be studied, planned, and well-managed. I also believe it is important to recognise land and its social, economic, and ecological value. This recognition can be a tremendous asset for the economy, society, and environment.
It is imperative that we see cities and urban centres for what they truly are – a force for development and innovation. We need to disabuse the stereotype of cities only as the source of problems. As cities expand, they become hubs for economic, social, and cultural activity, offering opportunities for transformation. The potential of investments in Africa exceeds trillions of dollars, offering opportunities to create jobs and a vibrant economic system, especially when integrating informality.
Cities are engines of economic development. They provide a concentration of resources, infrastructure, and services that boost productivity and innovation. Their growth leads to the creation of jobs, entrepreneurial opportunities, and increased access to markets for goods and services.
Second, urban areas typically offer better access to essential services like education, healthcare, and jobs. This can improve living standards and contribute to healthier, more educated populations with more opportunities to pursue their interests and lifestyles.
Urbanisation creates more job opportunities and improves access to services, lifting people out of poverty. Individuals and families can improve living conditions and contribute to the broader economy with more economic opportunities.
Africa’s urban trend is also characterised by the emergence of secondary and intermediate cities, which present opportunities for tailored urban planning and the effective deployment of basic services. This approach can help ease the pressure on major cities while fostering investments and innovations that connect urban and rural areas.
Finally, cities are melting pots of diverse cultures, backgrounds, and ideas. This diversity fosters greater social integration and contributes to developing a more inclusive society, leading to happier cities. Additionally, urbanisation supports cultural exchange, making cities vibrant centres for creativity and innovation. Marrakech, Kinshasa, Zanzibar, and Dakar are good examples.
What do you think African governments should do to decongest existing cities?
African governments can decongest existing cities by focusing on decentralisation and balanced regional development. This includes investing in the growth of secondary cities and regional hubs to attract people and businesses, reducing pressure on major urban centres. Promoting decentralisation through laws and policies like national urban policies can encourage balanced population distribution and sustainable urban growth.
Establishing good land use systems and fostering public-private partnerships to provide affordable housing and effective urban management can address housing shortages and improve city planning. Building essential infrastructure such as schools, healthcare facilities, and utilities in less congested areas will also support population redistribution. Governments should recognise the social, economic, and environmental functions of land to better plan and manage urban areas.
Investments in efficient transportation systems can connect urban centres to surrounding regions, enabling people to live outside crowded cities while accessing jobs and services. Governments should also implement urban planning policies, like zoning regulations, to prevent overcrowding and promote balanced growth. Offering incentives like tax breaks or subsidies to businesses operating in underdeveloped areas can create job opportunities and attract populations away from congested cities. By prioritising these strategies, African governments can achieve more sustainable and equitable urbanisation. The cost of non-planning is higher than the cost of planning. African cities need to anticipate urban expansion with urban policies and planning and not rely on retrofitting.
What kind of support does UN-Habitat provide to national and local governments to develop environmentally sustainable human settlements?
UN-Habitat supports national and local governments in developing socially and environmentally sustainable cities and human settlements. Our focus is on adequate and affordable housing, access to land, and basic services. UN-Habitat provides technical expertise, policy advice, and capacity building to enhance urban planning and management, particularly in addressing environmental sustainability. We assist governments in developing and implementing sustainable urbanisation policies and strategies, promoting eco-friendly infrastructure, energy-efficient buildings, and green urban spaces. UN-Habitat is present in more than 30 African countries, and we closely collaborate with national and local governments.
We also foster collaboration between governments, UN agencies, NGOs, and the private sector to strengthen political will and leverage resources for sustainable development. UN-Habitat also supports the integration of climate adaptation and mitigation strategies into urban development processes, encouraging the use of renewable energy, sustainable transportation, and waste management systems.
What kind of policies should African governments adopt to address the proliferation of slums?
Governments should prioritise affordable housing development through public-private partnerships and targeted subsidy programmes for low-income populations. Creating clear land-use policies and improving land tenure systems can help regularise informal settlements and offer residents legal security.
It is also important to invest in infrastructure such as sanitation, water supply, waste management, electricity, and roads in slum areas, ensuring that basic services are accessible and improving the overall living conditions.
Governments should also focus on improving access to essential social services like education, healthcare, and employment opportunities to tackle the root causes of slum proliferation. By reducing socio-economic inequalities, governments can discourage rural-urban migration and foster sustainable urban development.
Lastly, inclusive governance and community participation are vital. Governments must engage slum residents and local communities in urban planning decisions, ensuring their needs are considered. Strengthening regulatory frameworks with more context-oriented building codes and zoning laws that are flexible, clear, and transparent is critical to maximising and recycling existing building environments and accelerating land regularisation processes in informal settlements. This is critical to identify land for affordable housing. Through these comprehensive policies, African governments can reduce slum proliferation and create more resilient, inclusive cities. And UN-Habitat stands ready to support them.
Many African countries face huge urbanisation problems. Without resources, how can such countries implement policies for adequate human settlement?
Africa’s cities face a huge financing gap for many reasons. Many cities rely on fiscal transfers from central governments, and there is a disconnect between urbanisation and economic transformation. Unlike urbanisation patterns in Asia, the process in Africa has not had the same impact on GDP growth and job creation. This is due to a lack of proper investment plans in cities and reliance on fiscal transfers, which results in inequality and an inability to provide the necessary services.
A new approach to economic transformation for cities, focusing on developing entrepreneurship skills and creating special economic zones that attract investors based on each city’s potential, is needed. The tax system is underused in many African cities due to a lack of appropriate policies and regulatory frameworks. Cities should capitalise on the potential of digital systems to optimise revenue generation, including land-based revenue and various levies.
Land in Africa has great potential, but it will require building a strong land administration system, streamlining processes, and ensuring good governance. Our work in Somalia has shown that municipalities can increase basic service delivery by leveraging land-based financing. With the support of UN-Habitat, local revenue generation increased by up to 300% through the digitalisation of functions and the scaling up of existing automated systems to sustain the delivery of basic social services.
Are there elements of agreements on climate change that illuminate the work you do?
Cities are at the heart of humanity’s future but are also ground zero for some of our biggest challenges, like climate change. Unplanned urban sprawl, mainly driven by housing needs and informal settlements, amplifies climate risks, especially in coastal and flood-prone regions. As outlined in UN-Habitat’s World Cities Report 2024, more than two billion urban residents are projected to experience significant temperature increases by 2040, with over a third of city dwellers living in mean annual temperatures of 29 °C or above.
Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and intense. Annual economic losses from natural disasters could surpass $1 trillion by mid-century. However, cities are also a source of solutions to the current climate emergency. With better planning and resource management, better use of land, and recognition of its social and environmental functions, cities can drive innovation and develop sustainable solutions.
Lastly, what is your message for Africa?
Cities need to get the planning and management of cities right. Multi-level and diverse partnerships and coalitions are required to build the future we want in Africa. As UN-Habitat completes its new strategic plan, focusing on housing, land, and basic services, I believe our support for Africa will strengthen.
Raphael Obonyo is a public policy analyst. He’s served as a consultant with the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA). An alumnus of Duke University, he has authored and co-authored numerous books, including Conversations about the Youth in Kenya (2015). He is a TEDx fellow and has won various awards.
