The main goal of this book is to put urbanization and its
challenges squarely on Africa s development agenda. Planned
urbanization can improve living conditions for the majority, help
in the expansion of the middle class, and create conditions for
economic transformation. However, many African cities have
developed haphazardly, resulting in the decline of public services,
in slum proliferation, and increases in poverty. African cities
thrive on activities characterized by easy entry and low
productivity, generally referred to as the "informal sector."
Indeed, today some urban dwellers are poorer than their cousins in
the countryside. In spite of reform attempts, many governments have
not been able to create an enabling environment, with adequate
infrastructure and institutions to sustain markets for easy
exchange and production. This study argues that with careful
policies and planning, the situation can be changed. If the recent
natural resource-led economic boom that we have seen in many
African countries is used for structural reforms and urban renewal,
African cities could become centers of economic opportunity. The
challenge for African policymakers is to ensure that urban
development is orderly and that the process is inclusive and
emphasizes the protection of the environment, hence green
growth."
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