Launching of Africa’s Urbanization Dynamics 2024

"Africa’s Urbanisation Dynamics 2024, Planning for Urban Expansion” is a joint publication by the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development / Sahel and West Africa Club (OECD/SWAC), United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLGA), and Cities Alliance that highlights the transformative impact of urbanisation across Africa in the 21st century. This urban growth presents significant opportunities to advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want. Leveraging urbanisation and the growing importance of cities can foster continental integration, as cities become hubs for initiatives like the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). To leverage the full potential of urbanisation, African countries need to tackle the multiple and important challenges that rapid urban growth entails. In the next three decades, urban growth will be uniquely rapid and massive, with an expected increase of over 700 million urban residents by 2050, the emergence of over 2 000 new cities, and a 3-fold increase in urban surface area (OECD/SWAC 2024, Africapolis). The session will first present in detail the data and dynamics of projected urban growth from 2020 and 2050, examining its implications for urban planning, governance, and financing—crucial elements in achieving the SDGs. Following this, a panel discussion will feature representatives from the organizing institutions, along with experts and policymakers who contributed to the report. They will enrich the discussion by bringing their vision and compelling evidence on the challenges and opportunities of urban growth. The concluding remarks of the event will focus on the practical implications of the report for public policies, underscoring how cities can be catalysts for achieving the SDGs and enhancing the well-being of urban populations across Africa.