Unlocking Africa's Urban Potential: Improving Informal Settlements through Sustainable Planning

Africa’s urbanization rate is the fastest in the world: By 2050, over 1.5 billion people will call cities across the continent home. But with this rapid growth come challenges-especially the expansion of informal settlements. In 2020, 50% of Africa’s urban population lived in informal settlements, which often lack access to basic services and adequate housing. It’s essential that as African cities grow, they plan proactively to safely and equitably house new residents.
This C40-led webinar dove into how African cities can incorporate sustainable planning and climate action best principles to plan for future growth. Representatives from Freetown, Sierra Leone and Durban, South Africa shared how they are currently grappling with informal settlements while planning for future growth, and the discussion spanned the range of complexity and opportunity ahead for Africa’s urban future.