African Cities

African Cities Research Consortium
  • 5.0 (2)
  • SOCIAL SCIENCES
African Cities

Interviews, insights and in-depth discussions on urban development in Africa, from the African Cities Research Consortium.

  1. Action research spotlight: Healthy school meals in Nairobi

    17 MAR

    Action research spotlight: Healthy school meals in Nairobi

    School feeding programmes are a vital safety net for vulnerable children, providing them with healthy and nutritious meals that they might otherwise miss out on. Such initiatives are not new and have run in Kenya in different forms for decades; in Nairobi, for example, the county government has an existing school feeding programme in public schools. But the current programme does not apply to informal private schools, meaning that the majority of children living in the city’s informal settlem...

    32 min
  2. Why do land brokers matter in African cities?

    10 JAN

    Why do land brokers matter in African cities?

    Recently published ACRC research, exploring land and connectivity in African cities, found “land brokers” to be significant players within urban land markets. In Mogadishu, Somalia and Kampala, Uganda in particular, the research found that brokers play a prominent role in influencing land dynamics in the cities – acting as intermediaries in transactions and often directly impacting land prices. In this episode, ACRC’s land and connectivity domain lead Tom Goodfellow is joined by Abdifatah Ta...

    52 min
  3. Lessons in resilience from the Maiduguri floods

    18/10/2024

    Lessons in resilience from the Maiduguri floods

    On Tuesday 10 September 2024, Maiduguri city residents woke up to an unparalleled natural disaster: flooding that severely damaged over half of the city and resulted in the significant loss of lives. The five bridges that connect the city’s two sides overflowed, dividing it into two blocs that were unable to reach out to each other. Almost the entire lower portion of the city remained under water for over two weeks before the flood waters began to recede. The Alau Dam – situated a few kilome...

    22 min
  4. Politics and progress in Accra with Abdul-Gafaru Abdulai

    09/10/2024

    Politics and progress in Accra with Abdul-Gafaru Abdulai

    Accra is home to around 5 million people and plays a crucial role in Ghana’s national political landscape. Located on the coast of West Africa, development trajectories of the city are significantly influenced by national and global events. More than two thirds of the population are estimated to reside in informal settlements, with a great diversity of cultures and ethnicities across communities. Many of these areas have no or unreliable access to essential services including water, electric...

    42 min
  5. Advancing inclusive housing in Lagos

    14/08/2024

    Advancing inclusive housing in Lagos

    Two thirds of people living in Lagos reside in informal settlements, often in flood-prone areas and with limited access to basic services. As more and more people move into the city, the already high population density is rising. With more than 8,000 people per square kilometre in some parts – over 40 times Nigeria’s average – Lagos is struggling to meet the housing demands of its ever-expanding population. ACRC research highlights a lack of attention on improving the climate resilience of L...

    55 min
  6. Urban reform coalitions: Foregrounding tacit knowledge with Lalitha Kamath

    20/03/2024

    Urban reform coalitions: Foregrounding tacit knowledge with Lalitha Kamath

    “No textbook can tell you how to do this.” ACRC defines inclusive urban reform coalitions as partnerships between government, experts and civil society organisations – often directly involving communities and groups most directly affected by the issues at hand – to drive sustainable urban transformation. In this episode, Lalitha Kamath – professor in the School of Habitat Studies at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences in Mumbai – joins Ezana Haddis Weldeghebrael for a conversation about t...

    57 min
  7. Action research and coalition building in Nairobi

    06/12/2023

    Action research and coalition building in Nairobi

    “From the design of the project, from the design of the tools, to implementation, to data collection and everything, the community should be at the lead, at the forefront, speaking about their issues.” ACRC research in Nairobi has brought together communities, academics, county and government officials and the private sector, to come up with actions that support communities at the city level. Jane Wairutu from SDI-Kenya, and Nicera Wanjiru Kimani and Nancy Njoki Wairimu from Muungano wa Wana...

    30 min
  8. Politics and informality in Kampala with Peter Kasaija

    21/11/2023

    Politics and informality in Kampala with Peter Kasaija

    "Informal settlements in Kampala, and in other cities elsewhere across Africa, they are not homogenous, they're very heterogeneous. The kinds of pressures they face – social, environmental, political, economic pressures – they're very different." More than half of people living in African cities reside in informal settlements. Such settlements often share similar challenges – including inadequate access to basic services and infrastructure, and insecure tenure. But when it comes to understa...

    37 min
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    About

    Interviews, insights and in-depth discussions on urban development in Africa, from the African Cities Research Consortium.

    Information

    • Creator
      African Cities Research Consortium
    • Years Active
      2022 - 2025
    • Episodes
      29
    • Rating
      Clean
    • Copyright
      © 2025 African Cities
    • Show Website
      African Cities

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