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Whatever Happened to Africa’s Rapid Urbanisation?

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  • Dr Deborah Potts

Abstract

It is widely believed that urbanisation is occurring faster in sub-Saharan Africa than anywhere else in the world, as migrants move from rural to urban settlements. This is a fallacy. While the populations of numerous urban areas are growing rapidly, the urbanisation levels of many countries are increasing slowly – if at all. Natural increase, rather than net in-migration, is the predominant growth factor in most urban populations. African governments, policymakers and international donors need to acknowledge fundamental changes in urbanisation trends, and respond to the irrefutable messages these impart about urban employment, incomes and economic development.

Suggested Citation

  • Dr Deborah Potts, 2012. "Whatever Happened to Africa’s Rapid Urbanisation?," World Economics, World Economics, 1 Ivory Square, Plantation Wharf, London, United Kingdom, SW11 3UE, vol. 13(2), pages 17-30, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:wej:wldecn:517
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    Cited by:

    1. Ivan Turok, 2013. "Securing the resurgence of African cities," Local Economy, London South Bank University, vol. 28(2), pages 142-157, March.
    2. Traub, Lulama & Yeboah, Felix & Meyer, Ferdinand & Jayne, Thomas S., 2015. "Megatrends and the Future of African Economies," 2015 Conference, August 9-14, 2015, Milan, Italy 212525, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    3. Michael Jacobsen & Michael Webster & Kalanithy Vairavamoorthy, 2013. "The Future of Water in African Cities : Why Waste Water?," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 11964.
    4. Sumbo, Dennis Kamaanaa & Anane, George Kwadwo & Inkoom, Daniel Kweku Baah, 2023. "‘Peri-urbanisation and loss of arable land’: Indigenes’ farmland access challenges and adaptation strategies in Kumasi and Wa, Ghana," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    5. Christiaensen, Luc & Todo, Yasuyuki, 2014. "Poverty Reduction During the Rural–Urban Transformation – The Role of the Missing Middle," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 43-58.
    6. Zenzile Mbinza, 2024. "Exploring place branding in the Global South: the case of Johannesburg, South Africa," Place Branding and Public Diplomacy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 20(2), pages 232-243, June.
    7. David Simon, 2013. "Climate and environmental change and the potential for greening African cities," Local Economy, London South Bank University, vol. 28(2), pages 203-217, March.
    8. Mallo Maren Daniel & Samuel Danjuma Wapwera & Esther Mamman Akande & Choji Christopher Musa & Aliyu Ahmad Aliyu, 2015. "Slum Housing Conditions and Eradication Practices in Some Selected Nigerian Cities," Journal of Sustainable Development, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 8(2), pages 230-230, February.
    9. Yeboah, F. Kwame & Jayne, T.S., 2016. "Africa’S Evolving Employment Structure," Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Food Security Policy Research Papers 259511, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics, Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Food Security (FSP).
    10. Donald Chiuba OKEKE, 2017. "Planning Option for African Renaissance: An Appraisal of Paradigm Shift to Neo-Mercantile Planning. Reflections from Nigeria," Chinese Journal of Urban and Environmental Studies (CJUES), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 5(03), pages 1-25, September.
    11. Korah, Prosper Issahaku & Nunbogu, Abraham Marshall & Akanbang, Bernard Afiik Akanpabadai, 2018. "Spatio-temporal dynamics and livelihoods transformation in Wa, Ghana," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 174-185.
    12. Wiggins, S., 2016. "IFAD RESEARCH SERIES 1 - Agricultural and rural development reconsidered: a guide to issues and debates," IFAD Research Series 280035, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
    13. Jayne, T. S. & Holtzman, John S. & Yeboah, Felix Kwame & Anderson, Jock R. & Oehmke, James F., 2016. "Agri-Food Systems and Youth Livelihoods in Sub-Saharan Africa," Food Security International Development Working Papers 249276, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics.
    14. Okeke, D.C. & Ifeoma, Ukonze, 2019. "Conceptualizing urban space (environment) for the delivery of sustainable urban development in Africa: evidence from Enugu City in Nigeria," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    15. Deborah Potts, 2013. "Urban economies, urban livelihoods and natural resource-based economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa: The constraints of a liberalized world economy," Local Economy, London South Bank University, vol. 28(2), pages 170-187, March.
    16. Headey, Derek D. & Jayne, T.S., 2014. "Adaptation to land constraints: Is Africa different?," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 18-33.
    17. Sitko, Nicholas J. & Jayne, T.S., 2014. "Structural transformation or elite land capture? The growth of “emergent” farmers in Zambia," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 194-202.
    18. de Brauw, Alan & Mueller, Valerie & Lee, Hak Lim, 2014. "The Role of Rural–Urban Migration in the Structural Transformation of Sub-Saharan Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 33-42.
    19. Carren Ginsburg & Philippe Bocquier & Donatien Beguy & Sulaimon Afolabi & Orvalho Augusto & Karim Derra & Frank Odhiambo & Mark Otiende & Abdramane B. Soura & Pascal Zabre & Michael White & Mark Colli, 2016. "Human capital on the move: Education as a determinant of internal migration in selected INDEPTH surveillance populations in Africa," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 34(30), pages 845-884.
    20. Jayne, T.S. & Chamberlin, Jordan & Headey, Derek D., 2014. "Land pressures, the evolution of farming systems, and development strategies in Africa: A synthesis," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 1-17.
    21. David Simon, 2015. "Uncertain times, contested resources: Discursive practices and lived realities in African urban environments," City, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(2-3), pages 216-238, June.
    22. Busisiwe Chikomborero Ncube Makore & Sura Al-Maiyah, 2021. "Moving from the Margins: Towards an Inclusive Urban Representation of Older People in Zimbabwe’s Policy Discourse," Societies, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-21, January.

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