Land and connectivity
Land access and ownership are crucial in determining economic and social opportunities for many residents in African cities, playing a central role in political discourses, identities and conflict. Land administration is key for poverty reduction efforts and to facilitate bottom-up wealth creation and development.
Access to and rights over land determine many factors impacting residents’ lives and livelihoods, including housing availability and affordability, access to basic services and employment, and social security and physical safety, among others. As such, urban land issues are an intensely political subject, making technical interventions challenging and drawing in a wide range of actors.
Our research looks into the ideologies shaping state-led land reforms and support from international donors across the continent, along with how an increased appetite for land investment has fuelled price increases and speculative property development – entrenching the socio-spatial divide in many African cities. We also explore how international development partners are working with African governments on land reform, land value capture and enhancing property taxation, to funnel increased land prices into financing infrastructure and service investments.

LATEST NEWS from ACRC

Transforming informal settlements in Lagos through community-driven WASH innovation: The Okerube project
The “Informal Settlements as Spaces of Transformative Agency” project focuses on the Okerube community in Lagos to challenge dominant narratives and demonstrate how bottom-up, community-led governance models can deliver sustainable and inclusive water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) solutions in informal urban settlements.

Creating the conditions for change in Mathare informal settlement, Nairobi
SDI Kenya, through ACRC, is aiming to co-develop solutions with Mathare community members, by devising a holistic waste management system in the area.

How does action research build community and state capabilities?
This is the fourth in a series of blog posts focusing on how urban reform happens, and where ACRC fits into change processes. This post takes a closer look at how ACRC is helping build community capabilities to address urban challenges.