Tell us a bit about your background…

I grew up in Lagos, Nigeria, where I studied architecture at The University of Lagos. This raised my curiosity about the urban environment, motivating me to undertake a master’s degree in urban planning at The University of Manchester and subsequently a PhD in urban planning and international development at Cardiff University. I was particularly keen to study urban planning in the United Kingdom as the planning systems in Nigeria and many other African countries have British origins.

After my PhD, I returned to the University of Lagos as a lecturer and in 2018, I took a position as a postdoctoral researcher at the African Centre for Cities at the University of Cape Town. A key lesson I have learnt over the years and which I am passionate to communicate through my work is the vital importance of understanding, learning from and adapting to the realities on the ground when thinking about African cities – rather than having an overreliance on foreign perspectives.

How would you explain your research to a friend or family member?

My research fundamentally seeks to understand how and why the majority of African urban residents are largely excluded from available economic opportunities, whilst only a small section benefit. This situation can be seen in the high levels of inequality and fragmentation evident in many African cities. More specifically, my research explores the experiences of the numerous residents of informal settlements and those working in the informal economy, such as street traders, waste-pickers, small-scale tailors, hairdressers and roadside mechanical services – who are a dominant feature of many African cities – and examining their largely negative experiences and non-inclusion in urban and economic plans. My work seeks to understand the challenges they face and propose ways in which their work can be better appreciated, included and scaled up to make a valuable contribution to the local economy – whilst continuing to provide important employment and livelihood opportunities to a large share of the urban population.

What does your role within ACRC entail?

As part of ACRC, I belong to the neighbourhood and district economic development domain, where I have the opportunity to contribute to research on household microenterprises (HMEs). These are informal businesses employing the entrepreneur either alone, or together with members of their household, and for which the home often plays an important role in the enterprise’s activities. Some key objectives of the domain include examining how HMEs’ productivity and profitability can be increased, how they can become more economically viable as businesses, and how they can build resilience to climate change and environmental disaster.

I am also conducting my own research on urban displacements cutting across evictions from informal settlements and markets in Lagos, Nigeria. Specifically, I am investigating the factors that underlie such displacements and their effects on low-income residents who are often the most affected – including how they cope in the aftermath of such evictions, and how they can better organise to communicate to authorities the challenges that displacements pose to their lives and livelihoods.

“What particularly excites me about this research fellowship is the focus of ACRC to inform better decisionmaking by urban policymakers and reformers in Africa, based on an understanding of the political economy of individual cities and partnership with local actors on the ground.”

What are you finding most interesting about your work with ACRC so far? What are you most excited about?

What I have found most interesting so far is the opportunity to engage with various prominent scholars on African urban development as well as interact directly with specialists based across a variety of African cities, who provide first hand updates on happenings across diverse contexts. What particularly excites me about this research fellowship is the focus of ACRC to inform better decisionmaking by urban policymakers and reformers in Africa, based on an understanding of the political economy of individual cities and partnership with local actors on the ground. This is because political and economic factors play a major role in urban decisionmaking, especially in Africa, yet they are often inadequately considered and local actors are vital to understanding important contextual peculiarities that can hinder change. Therefore, I find this combined focus of ACRC particularly exciting.

In fewer than five words, what one issue do you think needs to be prioritised to improve urban development in African cities?

Better inclusion of disadvantaged communities.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

I enjoy spending time with family and friends, listening to music and engaging in sports.

Note: This article presents the views of the author featured and does not necessarily represent the views of the African Cities Research Consortium as a whole.

The African Cities blog is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0), which means you are welcome to repost this content as long as you provide full credit and a link to this original post.

Tell us a bit about your background…

My name is Patience Adzande and I was born and raised in Nigeria. I obtained a PhD in urban and regional planning from the Benue State University, Makurdi, Nigeria in 2017. During my PhD study, I received the Dissertation Research Fellowship (2013) and the Dissertation Completion Fellowship Award (2014) from the Social Science Research Council’s (SSRC) Next Generation Social Sciences in Africa programme. In 2017, I also received the SSRC’s African Peacebuilding Network grant to conduct research on farmer-herder conflicts in Central Nigeria.

Before joining ACRC, I was a lecturer at the Benue State University. My research interest in crime and the built environment was motivated by the works of Jane Jacobs and Oscar Newman. However, my decision to focus on broader issues of human security became imperative with increasing conflict and violence in rural and urban areas of Nigeria. Currently, my research focuses on the influence of the built environment on crime patterns; residents’ experiences of safety and (in)security in cities; informal policing in cities; the role of conflict/violence in re-configuring urban spaces and shaping lived experiences in cities; the lived experiences of internally displaced people (IDPs) in non-camp situations; and farmer-herder conflicts in Nigeria.

How would you explain your research to a friend or family member?

My research focuses on the spatial dynamics of crime and violence in cities from an urban planning perspective and at contestations over natural resources in rural areas of Nigeria; looking at:

• How different kinds of spaces influence the occurrence or clustering of crime, and enhance perceptions of safety;
• Why certain urban spaces are safer than others;
• How urban spaces are re-configured by conflicts or violence and how the lives of city residents are (re)shaped by violence – in terms of residential location choices, decisions on intra-urban mobility and perceptions of the “other”;
• Rural insecurity in Central Nigeria, with particular emphasis on farmer-herder conflicts and its attendant consequences;
• The lived experiences of urban displaced persons – particularly focusing on their ability (agency) to navigate their new environments.

I focus on human security because safety and security are central to the attainment of liveable and inclusive cities. With the forecasts suggesting that Africa is fast becoming an urban continent, it has become necessary to intensify research on safety and security, to contribute to the development of policies and planning interventions that will make African cities safe for all.

What does your role within ACRC entail?

As a postdoctoral fellow attached to ACRC’s safety and security domain, I’ll work with the domain leads, city leads and other team members to sharpen the focus of the domain’s research in the selected cities, also ensuring that the workplans and themes are synchronised and aligned. I’ll also liaise with and provide support to the city research leads and projects, and contribute knowledge based on my past experiences of conducting research on human security issues. I will also be contributing to the academic aspect of the research by conducting literature reviews on relevant research themes and writing academic articles, blog posts and reports – and possibly featuring in podcasts to support uptake and dissemination of our work.

“I’m happy to be a part of a team committed to contributing to policy formulation, through generating evidence-based knowledge on African cities.”

What are you finding most interesting about your work with ACRC so far? What are you most excited about?

What I’m finding most interesting in my work with ACRC so far is gaining new knowledge – especially using political settlements as an analytical framework for critical urban development issues, observing the research that the other postdoctoral fellows are conducting, and learning more about (and looking forward to visiting) other African cities covered by ACRC. I’m happy to be a part of a team committed to contributing to policy formulation, through generating evidence-based knowledge on African cities.

The opportunity that ACRC has provided for me to meet and work with scholars that I would ordinarily only read about in the literature is something I’m excited about – particularly having the chance to work with Paula Meth, who will serve as my mentor during the period of the fellowship. Working with ACRC also affords me the opportunity to actualise my dream of expanding the scope of my research beyond Nigeria to other African cities.

In fewer than five words, what one issue do you think needs to be prioritised to improve urban development in African cities?

Safety and security.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

I enjoy watching movies and spending quality time with friends and family.

Note: This article presents the views of the author featured and does not necessarily represent the views of the African Cities Research Consortium as a whole.

The African Cities blog is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0), which means you are welcome to repost this content as long as you provide full credit and a link to this original post.

Tell us a bit about your background…

I did my undergraduate and postgraduate studies in sociology and development studies at Addis Ababa University (AAU), and I also have an MSc in urban management and development from the Institute of Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS). I then worked as an academic project coordinator and a lecturer at Ethiopian public universities, before deciding to pursue my education further, and was awarded a PhD in planning and environmental management from The University of Manchester. Since finishing my PhD, I have been working at The University of Manchester in different capacities – previously as a course unit lecturer, GCRF visiting postdoctoral fellow and most recently as a research associate in the African Cities Research Consortium. 

How would you explain your research to a friend or family member?

My research focuses on critically understanding the political processes shaping urban development. Conventional urban planning is presented as an apolitical and technical process, used to efficiently organise modern cities. Yet in practice, it prioritises the interests of political and business elites, while marginalising the majority urban poor, especially in the global South. But these marginalised groups are not passive victims of the process; they strategise to survive and expand their opportunities. So, my research broadly focuses on understanding the political and economic forces that adversely affect urban poor communities and how they respond to their exclusion. I also want my research to contribute to the efforts of these groups in challenging their marginalisation. For example, my GCRF-funded postdoctoral research – influenced by Slum Dwellers International – facilitated women-led, saving-based social organisation and participatory research in one of Addis Ababa’s inner-city settlements.

What does your role within ACRC entail?

Within ACRC, I have a dual responsibility. First, I am responsible for supporting the research on crosscutting themes (finance, gender and climate change) and other broad aspects of ACRC work. Second, I am also working on my own research project, which compares and contrasts how informal settlement residents mobilise and strategise to improve their housing and living conditions in Harare and Addis Ababa. The study aims to capture how social organisations of informal settlement residents capitalise on the political opportunities and minimise threats from their respective governments, in their effort to improve their housing and living conditions.

“My research broadly focuses on understanding the political and economic forces that adversely affect urban poor communities and how they respond to their exclusion. I also want my research to contribute to the efforts of these groups in challenging their marginalisation.”

What are you finding most interesting about your work with ACRC so far? What are you most excited about?

The most exciting thing about my fellowship at ACRC is the opportunity of collaborating with accomplished and emerging researchers in their field. For an early career researcher, such as myself, ACRC provides an ideal platform for learning, building networks and expanding my research scope. Working within such a transdisciplinary research environment allows me to expand my analytical lens and adopt a comparative research approach, while the mentorship scheme within my fellowship will help me shape my academic career strategically. Last but not least, working alongside young and enthusiastic ACRC fellows is great for building collegiality and we all help to motivate each other.

In a few words, what one issue do you think needs to be prioritised to improve urban development in African cities?

Planning with, not against, disadvantaged communities.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

I enjoy walking/hiking, reading books and socialising with friends, along with watching movies, TV shows and documentaries in my spare time.

Note: This article presents the views of the author featured and does not necessarily represent the views of the African Cities Research Consortium as a whole.

The African Cities blog is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0), which means you are welcome to repost this content as long as you provide full credit and a link to this original post.

Tell us a bit about your background…

My background is in law. I lectured and practised law in Kenya prior to undertaking my PhD, which I recently completed at Cardiff University. My research is transdisciplinary, focusing on rights-based approaches to development, particularly integrating participation in urban governance. I am also interested in understanding how land in the city can be unlocked to provide for the needs of the city’s inhabitants, especially the most vulnerable and marginalised groups.

How would you explain your research to a friend or family member?

I examine the institutions and actors that play key roles in shaping the outlook of our cities. My research identifies the instances where, and the reasons why, these actors come together to explore solutions to urban challenges, and the interventions they devise to tackle the identified challenges. I am particularly keen on exploring the visions for change these actors project – are they inclusive of the inhabitants of marginalised urban neighbourhoods? And what do they mean for access to land and basic services in informal settlements?

What does your role within ACRC entail?

At ACRC, I support the work of the informal settlements domain. The domain seeks to understand the political economy and politics of informal settlement development. We aim to understand the growth trajectories of informal settlements in African cities and to examine the drivers of their growth. We also explore the ways in which organised communities seek to address the needs of informal settlements at the city scale. I will also work on my individual project, which examines the urban governance interventions that have been rolled out in Nairobi in the periods between 1980-2022.

“It is interesting to see how ACRC is building strong, horizontal collaborations with a diverse range of research partners and how the process makes a conscious effort to centre the voices of marginalised urban communities.”

What are you finding most interesting about your work with ACRC so far? What are you most excited about?

ACRC brings together expertise from various institutions and African countries. It is interesting to see how ACRC is building strong, horizontal collaborations with a diverse range of research partners and how the process makes a conscious effort to centre the voices of marginalised urban communities. I am also excited to work with and learn from an incredible team of urbanists who are working together to tackle complex problems in Africa’s rapidly urbanising cities.

In fewer than five words, what one issue do you think needs to be prioritised to improve urban development in African cities?

Democratising urban governance.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

When the weather is good, you will find me going for a walk, a run in the park, or spending time outdoors with friends. I love watching insightful documentaries and reading a good book.

Note: This article presents the views of the author featured and does not necessarily represent the views of the African Cities Research Consortium as a whole.

The African Cities blog is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0), which means you are welcome to repost this content as long as you provide full credit and a link to this original post.

Tell us a bit about your background…

Originally from South Africa, where I was based until my postgraduate studies, I completed a PhD focusing on urban and labour economics topics at the London School of Economics and Political Science. Prior to and during my PhD, I consulted for the World Bank on spatial economics, industrial policy and infrastructure planning in Indonesia, South Africa and Bangladesh.

Before joining ACRC, I was a senior postdoctoral associate at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford, where I focused on technology policy research and research at the intersection of urban economics and big data.

How would you explain your research to a friend or family member?

My research uses digitised satellite imagery as well as survey and administrative data, together with statistical methods aimed at establishing cause–effect relationships, to examine questions related to pressing public policy issues in cities in developing countries. I am interested in topics such as the effects of zoning regulations on land value capture and the interactions between labour market policies and climate shocks. I am starting new research related to the political economy of land use policies for structural transformation in African cities. Unrelated to ACRC, I also carry out research on how to improve the measurement of digital development.

What does your role within ACRC entail?

Along with conducting my own research related to land use policies, I am also mapped to the structural transformation domain. This involves collaborating with researchers at UNU-WIDER in Helsinki, who I had the pleasure of visiting for a week recently.

“The cross-disciplinary nature of ACRC makes it particularly interesting. The University of Manchester is also a vibrant hub for development and urban research.”

What are you finding most interesting about your work with ACRC so far? What are you most excited about?

The cross-disciplinary nature of ACRC makes it particularly interesting. The University of Manchester is also a vibrant hub for development and urban research.

In fewer than five words, what one issue do you think needs to be prioritised to improve urban development in African cities?

Planning should consider economics issues.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

I run a lot and have been training for some races. There are some nice routes along the river in Manchester.

Note: This article presents the views of the author featured and does not necessarily represent the views of the African Cities Research Consortium as a whole.

The African Cities blog is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0), which means you are welcome to repost this content as long as you provide full credit and a link to this original post.

Tell us a bit about your background…

I was born in Nyeri, Kenya but I grew up in Nairobi. My training is in town planning, first at the University of Nairobi, and then at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa. I have worked in urban and housing research organisations in Nairobi and Johannesburg, including the Centre for Urban Research Innovations at the University of Nairobi, the Centre for Affordable Housing Finance in Africa in Johannesburg, and the NRF Chair in Spatial Analysis and City Planning at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg.

From my life in Nairobi and through working in these organisations, I have developed an interest and passion for African cities, and so my research focuses on the role of urban planning in shaping the development trajectory of African towns and cities.

How would you explain your research to a friend or family member?

I study towns and cities in Africa, focusing on housing, neighbourhoods and local economies. I try to understand how towns come together – where we live, where we work, where our children play and go to school, the markets where we buy our food, how we move from place to place.

I am interested in how all the different actors from governments, big and small investors, and we as city residents work together to create safe, beautiful and liveable spaces. As a town planner, I try to think about how we can use laws, policies and resources/funding to coordinate investments and produce towns and cities that are accessible to all.

What does your role within ACRC entail?

My role in ACRC is to provide support in the housing and human settlements domain. This involves coordinating the different city research projects, liaising with research teams in our cities. Our first phase of cities includes Nairobi, Freetown, Lilongwe and Accra. I am also working on my own research project on urban planning and nodal development in the Nairobi metropolitan project.

“I am excited about what we can learn across the different cities and focus areas that can support local efforts at advocacy or formulating workable policies and programmes.”

What are you finding most interesting about your work with ACRC so far? What are you most excited about?

The most interesting opportunity that the ACRC work has provided me is to understand how different towns and cities in Africa are developing. I am learning that the challenges facing housing and human settlements development are very similar across our cities, although there are specific differences in each city. I am excited about what we can learn across the different cities and focus areas that can support local efforts at advocacy or formulating workable policies and programmes.

The fellowship is also bringing together different researchers from across Africa, who are working on other domains, such as land and connectivity, informal settlements, urban safety and security, youth and capabilities, structural transformation, local and neighbourhood economies, and health, wellbeing and nutrition. I am very excited to participate in this multisectoral community, and I look forward to learning more from my fellow colleagues.

In fewer than five words, what one issue do you think needs to be prioritised to improve urban development in African cities?

Adapting and scaling-up local solutions.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

A few things! I like to be outdoors, if the weather is nice, and I enjoy playing sports or learning a new sport. If I am indoors, I like drawing cartoons, reading books and comics, watching a nice sci-fi show, or playing video games. I also enjoy socialising with friends and family.

Note: This article presents the views of the author featured and does not necessarily represent the views of the African Cities Research Consortium as a whole.

The African Cities blog is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0), which means you are welcome to repost this content as long as you provide full credit and a link to this original post.

Tell us a bit about your background…

My name is Abdifatah Ismael Tahir, and I am a research fellow at the Global Development Institute, working on the exciting African Cities Research Consortium (ACRC). In my most recent work, I served as a member of Somalia’s federal parliament, where I chaired the committee for roads, ports, airports, energy and transport.

Before this, I worked as a researcher, consultant and development practitioner for various organisations in Somalia, UK and South Africa. I hold a PhD in geography (urban governance) from the University of Sussex and a master’s degree in transport planning from the University of Leeds.

How would you explain your research to a friend or family member?

Generally, my work is geared towards understanding the key and often context-specific urban politics and governance issues, both in contemporary and historical perspectives, that enhance or undermine the current and future dynamics of Somalia’s nascent state-building endeavours. In my most recent work, I looked at critical infrastructures as sites for state legitimation in the post-conflict context of Somaliland.

I have also examined the production and reproduction of clan-based segregation in Hargeisa. As a process, I found that it is partially explainable by the state’s inability to provide services in a manner that creates cosmopolitan attitudes above the dominant clan identity and belonging.    

In my current research, I am looking at the land conflict and adjudication issues in Mogadishu, particularly the ongoing political (dis)settlement at the national and subnational (regional) levels.

What does your role within ACRC entail?

My role in ACRC is twofold. Firstly, I research urban land conflicts in Mogadishu, focusing on how non-state actors adjudicate land and property-related disputes and how these impacts political (dis)settlement at the national and sub-national levels. And, second, I support research in the land and connectivity domain across the cities identified by the ACRC project.

“One of the things that excites me about this project is that it brings together some of the most prominent scholars on African urban issues and a team of emerging African scholars.”

What are you finding most interesting about your work with ACRC so far? What are you most excited about?

One of the things that excites me about this project is that it brings together some of the most prominent scholars on African urban issues and a team of emerging African scholars. Besides the privilege of being in dialogue and discussion with such a strong team of urbanists, I am also enthusiastic that the project provides the opportunity to solicit from and share ideas with relevant policymakers, such as politicians and city managers; policy advocates, such as NGOs and civil society groups; and primary policy beneficiaries or victims, such as the urban residents and advocates of change in how our cities are governed.

In fewer than five words, what one issue do you think needs to be prioritised to improve urban development in African cities?

Critical infrastructures and management regimes.*

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

In my spare time, I enjoy having a good cup of Somali tea with friends and family and volunteering for community works when and where possible.

*Note from Abdifatah: Like many developing countries, African cities are reeling with social and economic problems that impede them from satisfying their residents’ demands, desires and imaginations. For me, one strand that stands out from the rest is the lack or insufficiency of critical infrastructures to connect people and places and the lack, inefficiency or inappropriateness of management regimes for existing facilities. I believe that this should be prioritised as a critical problem area for immediate attention in both research and policymaking.

Note: This article presents the views of the author featured and does not necessarily represent the views of the African Cities Research Consortium as a whole.

The African Cities blog is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0), which means you are welcome to repost this content as long as you provide full credit and a link to this original post.

Tell us a bit about your background…

I have a BA in international relations and peace and conflict studies from London Metropolitan University and a master’s degree in international development studies from the University of Joseph Fourier in Grenoble. Leading up to this fellowship, I had also been working in different fields and cities, which formed an important part of the drive and motivation that drew me back into research. I completed my PhD in human geography at the University of Gothenburg at the end of 2021.

How would you explain your research to a friend or family member?

My research explores the reasons why certain people move to cities, what shapes their experiences of urban life and why they do the work that they do. Because cities are places where social practices are challenged and re-made through everyday interactions, it is important to ask how the experiences of one person differ from those of another, and why. My research explores these questions in relation to youth who migrate to cities from rural areas in sub-Saharan African urban contexts, with a particular focus on young women and girls.

What does your role within ACRC entail?

As a postdoctoral fellow at ACRC, I will have an opportunity to work on my individual project, which builds on my PhD research that mapped the livelihood strategies of young rural migrants in Addis Ababa through a gender-focused lens. I am also part of an exciting domain-based research group focused on youth and capability development, where I have a chance to engage with experts on advancing new research on youth-related themes and with research teams in some of ACRC’s selected cities, which is fantastic. 

“Because cities are places where social practices are challenged and re-made through everyday interactions, it is important to ask how the experiences of one person differ from those of another, and why.”

What are you finding most interesting about your work with ACRC so far?

I feel very fortunate in having joined ACRC in its current phase, in which research plans are being drawn up and the foundations for the work that lies ahead are being set. I take great pride in this, because it allows us, the postdoctoral fellows, to contribute to the programme in a formative way. This is a privilege, given its scope and scale. I am also thrilled to work with researchers from different fields who share my fascination with cities, which creates an environment buzzing with enthusiasm. I am happy to be a part of this team and at this point in time. 

In fewer than five words, what one issue do you think needs to be prioritised to improve urban development in African cities?

Inclusive policies focused on youth.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

I love to immerse myself in history, whether that be in the form of a book, an exhibition or a documentary. That is definitely one of my favourite things to do. Right now I get to enjoy history by getting to know Manchester, a new city to me – which involves getting lost at times, but also finding your way and discovering a new neighbourhood in the process – which is very exciting.

Note: This article presents the views of the author featured and does not necessarily represent the views of the African Cities Research Consortium as a whole.

The African Cities blog is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0), which means you are welcome to repost this content as long as you provide full credit and a link to this original post.

Can you tell us about SDI’s work, and the role that SDI will play within ACRC?

SDI is a network of slum dweller organisations in cities across what is proverbially known as “the global South”. We work in more than 30 countries with self-organised movements of the urban poor – mainly women-led collectives that are organised in informal settlements (slums) and face a variety of issues, the main one being secure tenure. These residents often experience evictions, live without access to water and sanitation, and may be in the process of developing some relationship with their local authorities to address these issues. They typically do this by collecting socioeconomic data about their communities, which they use to understand their own circumstances and create alternative solutions to overcome these challenges. Often, they develop or co-produce plans to present to local authorities, or to address issues within them.

In terms of our involvement in ACRC, we have affiliates in seven of the African cities where the research will be implemented, so it presents a huge opportunity for us to collaborate with The University of Manchester. As SDI, we have always valued the co-production of knowledge, where communities of the urban poor bring their own experience and knowledge into processes that seek to understand and address urban poverty and deprivation. Our biggest strength will be around the action research component of this programme, and ensuring that the research findings can be integrated into how we address the problems we identify.

What do you find most exciting about ACRC’s approach?

I think that ACRC’s cities of systems approach is right up our street, as it were. If you look at the challenges that the SDI network is trying to address, these are all interlinked. For example, you could look at the implications of tenure on economic independence, the capacity to create employment for communities, or you could look at the impact of climate change and how it affects people living in slums or informal settlements, in contrast to those living in the formal city. The challenges faced by the typical SDI affiliate in the cities that are part of the research speak volumes as to why it is necessary to approach cities as systems of interconnected issues.

“As SDI, we have always valued the co-production of knowledge, where communities of the urban poor bring their own experience and knowledge into processes that seek to understand and address urban poverty and deprivation.”

What do you think is the most crucial challenge for development in African cities?

What I see as the key challenges for development in African cities are linked to the incapacity of the state to address challenges that come with the growth of the informal city – this encompasses the criminalisation of informal work, and the inefficiencies and poverty penalty that accompany the informal provision of services such as housing, water and transportation, among other issues. National and local governments know these challenges exist but often do not take them into consideration in shaping policies at both the local and national level. I often argue that while it is common to say “the informal city”, when 80% of the population of a city is employed in “informal work” or access their transportation through the “informal transport sector”, the informal has become formal. This exclusion of informality – however it presents itself in discourses around city development in Africa – reflects an element of aspiration for a city that does not exist in practical terms.

I am Zimbabwean, and as an example, the local authorities in Zimbabwe still use building codes that are fashioned on the British Town and Country Planning Act. The reality of the Zimbabwean city is far removed from the origins of these codes, but they are nevertheless maintained in city development and codify how development should work in cities. So, I think we need a change in the perception of what city development should be. In some respects, therefore, problems have been exacerbated – because there is an idea or image of what city planning should be versus what actually happens on the ground. Again, if 80% of the population is employed in the informal sector, what is the formal sector?

Similarly, an affiliate in one African city conducted research to look at how much those in informal settlements paid for water, in contrast to those in formal settlements. It was found that they paid a “poverty penalty”, whereby poor people actually pay for services at a premium compared to those in formal settlements. There are a lot of complexities around the impacts or nature of planning processes that are formally adopted, and the implications of those for the most marginalised residents of the cities that ACRC will focus on.

“We are keen to play a part in testing how some of these complex problems can be addressed and adapted for different contexts – by replicating approaches we have found to work in one city, allowing communities to learn from each other, and reshaping this knowledge to meet local needs.”

What is most exciting for you about this project?

As SDI, we are very excited about the uptake side of the project – using the research to actually contribute to change.

Often, the areas we work in are very short on evidence. Or, when we collect the evidence ourselves, it’s not accepted, as local authorities view organisations of the urban poor as not being proficient enough to produce robust evidence. So, the co-production of this evidence will hopefully lead to uptake across a variety of stakeholders – from elites in city management to bilaterals in their programmes, who themselves have an impact in shaping the discourse around development in cities.

We are keen to play a part in testing how some of these complex problems can be addressed and adapted for different contexts – by replicating approaches we have found to work in one city, allowing communities to learn from each other, and reshaping this knowledge to meet local needs. The ambition to identify complex problems, and then to develop solutions and test these out, is something that we are looking forward to.

Read more from SDI:

• Predicting Covid-19 contagion risk hotspots
• Mbarara, Uganda: An informal community uses collective savings to deal with Covid-19
• What women want: How Covid-19 has highlighted the priorities and most pressing needs of urban poor women
• What women want – part two: To map vulnerability to climate change

Follow SDI’s work:

• Twitter
• Facebook
• LinkedIn
• YouTube

Note: This article presents the views of the author featured and does not necessarily represent the views of the African Cities Research Consortium as a whole.

The African Cities blog is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0), which means you are welcome to repost this content as long as you provide full credit and a link to this original post.

Can you tell us about PASGR’s previous work in African cities, and the expertise PASGR brings to the consortium? 

PASGR has been researching urban governance and city transformation in Africa since 2015, through a project that looks at how the development of new and growing urban centres in Africa could be shaped, and issues of governance reformed. This research was informed by the reality that many development projects in these areas still rely on the colonial thinking and planning that originated these urban centres.

Together with partners – including the African Centre for Cities at the University of Cape Town – we thought that it was time for a new, African-led, African-defined urban agenda for these centres. Through this project we have looked at issues of urbanisation and city transformation in several African cities – an approach that is very much relevant to what we’re doing in ACRC. Also relevant is a second research project in the cities of Lagos, Addis Ababa and Nairobi, in which we’re using a political economy and political settlement approach to better understand employment creation.

PASGR uses a unique evidence-to-policy approach we call Utafiti Sera, which is Kiswahili for research-policy. Through this approach, we create communities of practice around specific policy issues, working with them directly to provide evidence so that different stakeholders can access, appraise and use the evidence generated for policy purposes. The Utafiti Sera approach is something we’re bringing to ACRC, to help drive the uptake and impact of our research.

“We will be working in 13 cities, each of which is unique, so it is wrong to think one approach will fit all of them – that won’t be the case.”

What do you think is the most crucial challenge for development uptake in African cities?

There are numerous challenges for uptake. We will be working in 13 cities, each of which is unique, so it is wrong to think one approach will fit all of them – that won’t be the case. Until we get together with research teams in those individual cities, it will be very difficult to prescribe the kind of approach to use. Having a ‘wait and see’ approach to uptake is key.

The other challenging aspect of uptake is the contexts in which we are working. Some contexts can be described as fragile or conflict-affected, but each situation is different. Understanding the political economy and political settlements in these contexts becomes so important in designing an uptake plan and strategy. Who are the key actors? Are they interested in what we want to do? What is their span of attention, and how often does political leadership change? How do you craft a plan that takes into consideration all of these variables?

The final thing is communication. I want to link this to the huge and ongoing conversation about decolonising knowledge and knowledge processes, and how we run projects in Africa. FCDO has its key priorities that ACRC needs to address, but we are going into contexts that have previously experienced serious external relations challenges, within cities that are still very much built on colonial thinking and ways of doing things.

So, how do we build awareness of these issues through our work? How do we move into these cities and create trust and mutually-respectful relationships that genuinely help us to achieve our goals? You have, on one hand, very conceptual, high-level theoretical thinking led by international institutions, mostly from the Europe. On the other hand, you have African teams of researchers who are the ones ‘getting their hands dirty’. How do you bring those two groups together to understand each other, so that the evidence coming out of this process can genuinely meet the evidence needs of FCDO, as well as our key stakeholders? I see that as a major challenge.

“We cherish partnerships – not only with the global North but within the African continent – and believe a collaborative approach to tackling urban issues facing the continent is better than a siloed one.”

What is most exciting for you about this project? 

ACRC speaks to our current research priorities and as we’ve already done smaller-scale research on this issue, it was naturally attractive. Also, PASGR’s evidence-to-policy approach is still very new. It’s something we have developed in the last four years, so we saw the consortium as an opportunity to expand this from a very African-driven, African-led perspective.

The opportunity to lead the uptake process for ACRC couldn’t have come at a better time for me personally and for PASGR. We cherish partnerships – not only with the global North but within the African continent – and believe a collaborative approach to tackling urban issues facing the continent is better than a siloed one. ACRC brings together a cohort of academically excellent organisations, policy and practice organisations, and community-focused organisations – a very robust combination that will ensure we can deliver this work.

Read more from PASGR:

• What makes a good partnership? Transparency, trust – and a bit of patience!
• Social protection and inclusivity is key in social-economic policy
• Recommendations for achieving a virtual future – together
• Gendered research methods could counter hegemony
• Three lessons on research dissemination in fragile settings: healing, learning and more

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Note: This article presents the views of the author featured and does not necessarily represent the views of the African Cities Research Consortium as a whole.

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