Dec 18, 2025 | Action research, Freetown, News, Research
“Kush is very easy to find here in Kolleh Town. People sell it openly, sometimes on the roadside, near junctions, and even close to our schools. You don’t even need to go far.” – Community member, Kolleh Town, Sierra Leone Kush is a type of synthetic drug that is...
Dec 17, 2025 | Accra, Addis Ababa, Commentary, Dar es Salaam, Freetown, Lagos, Lilongwe, Nairobi, Research
The housing challenge in African cities is far from consistent. With differing historical, sociopolitical and economic contexts, cities are seeing urbanisation play out along differing trajectories – impacting issues around housing demand, supply and justice. ACRC’s...
Oct 21, 2024 | Addis Ababa, Commentary, Freetown, Kampala, Maiduguri, Mogadishu, Research
By 2050, over half of Africa’s population will be under 25. While African cities offer the potential for jobs and innovation, they also face a growing crisis: the mental wellbeing of their young people. Drawing on ACRC’s youth and capability development research...
Oct 7, 2024 | Accra, Commentary, Freetown, Harare, Kampala, News
The growing literature on the politics of development in African cities has made significant advances in recent years, drawing attention to the often-unexpected ways in which the politics of democratisation, clientelism and ethnicity are playing out within specific...
Jul 15, 2024 | Accra, Addis Ababa, Dar es Salaam, Freetown, Lagos, Lilongwe, Mogadishu, News, Research
By 2050, it is projected that African cities will become home to an additional 950 million people – all of whom will need housing. This rapid population growth in Africa’s towns and secondary cities has been accompanied by the explosion of informally designed housing,...
Jul 11, 2024 | Addis Ababa, Freetown, Kampala, Maiduguri, Mogadishu, News, Research
By 2050, half of Africa’s population will be under the age of 25. This makes young people key to development outcomes across the continent’s cities, with youth often regarded as the “makers or breakers” of the future. A new ACRC paper presents research into the...
