AMID the shocking fact that Africa is urbanising faster than any other continent and most of the population growth is taking place in slums, United Nations agency for human settlement has proposed to governments comprehensive new policy strategies, which will turn cities urbanisation into an engine room of wealth creation.
The new approach announced by the United Nations Urban Settlement Programme (UNHABITAT)’s Executive Director, Dr. Joan Clos last week in Abuja, if imbibed by city planners and managers is expected to upturn statistics showing that the continent is bearing the brunt of urbanisation, standing at 60 per cent. In 16 years, Africa is expected to double its population and more people will live in slums, leaving governments grabbling with cities challenges such as housing and infrastructure.
UN’s State of Africa Cities 2010 report shows that in 2009, Africa’s total population for the first time exceeded one billion, of which 395 million (or almost 40 percent) lived in urban areas. Whereas it took 27 years for the continent to double from 500 million to one billion people, the next 500 million will only take 17 years. Around 2027, Africa’s demographic growth will start to slow down and it will take 24 years to add the next 500 million, reaching the two billion mark around 2050, of which about 60 per cent living in cities.
Around 2030, Africa’s collective population will become 50 per cent urban. The majority of political constituencies will then live in cities, demanding means of subsistence, shelter and services. In early 2040s, African cities will collectively be home to one billion, equivalent to the continent’s total populations in 2009.
In West Africa, too, urban populations are expanding rapidly. During 2010/20, cities in the sub region will become hosts to additional 58 million, and another 69 million during the 2020/30 decade. West African cities will still have to accommodate an additional 79 million until 2940, and another 84 million between 2040 and 2050.
Under the proposed initiative, the agency is seeking sweeping cities governance reforms focused on improved urban management, planning as well as promoting