Latest News + Insights
Learning in Lagos
As a consortium, we’re trying to learn what catalyses inclusive urban reform across African cities. But what does that really mean in practice, as well as in theory?
Nairobi learning exchange on waste management: Growth and next steps
From 7-8 August 2025, the Mathare solid waste co-researchers travelled to Naivasha for a two-day learning exchange. This was a journey filled with eye-opening lessons, inspiring stories and practical ideas that we have brought back home.
Podcast: Fortifying food systems in Lagos
Ismail Ibraheem, Taibat Lawanson, Folasade Adeboyejo and Deji Akinpelu discuss opportunities for improvements across the food system in Lagos, which could help make the city healthier and more liveable.
Water, water, everywhere: Challenges and opportunities for inclusive water delivery in Lagos
Potable water is a luxury good in Lagos – a city with so many ambient water sources that planning around them has yielded a rather quirky layout. The enduring, seemingly intractable challenge for the city is how to convert this abundant natural resource into safe drinking water for residents.
Learning from the ground: Action research in Nairobi’s informal settlements
What does research in informal settlements in Nairobi look like? This was the guiding question for a recent learning writeshop that brought together action research (AR) teams working across Nairobi’s informal settlements.
Resilient urban markets: Surprises from Ggaba Market fieldwork in Kampala
The Kampala action research project on inclusive markets and resilient communities in Ggaba Market seeks to tackle the interlinked issues of flooding, waste management and sanitation in urban markets.
What can FCDO and other donors learn from ACRC’s approach to development?
This is the fifth in a series of blog posts focusing on how urban reform happens, and where ACRC fits into change processes. This post outlines what donors can learn from ACRC’s approach to development.
New research: Strengthening urban systems, services and institutions in Lagos
A newly published ACRC report by Taibat Lawanson, Lindsay Sawyer and Damilola Olalekan explores the complex dynamics of contested political systems and their impact on the people of Lagos.
Improving access to information and development opportunities for young people in Kampala
Although precise data on the number of youth living in the capital city Kampala’s informal settlements is lacking, voting patterns indicate a high concentration of young people who have consistently influenced electoral outcomes in the city. Beyond politics, Kampala’s youth also play a central role in Uganda’s economic development as key consumers and contributors to the informal and formal sectors.
What drives land value change in African cities? Unlocking value and the prospects for progressive reform
The urgency of developing more effective mechanisms to capture rising land values for urban infrastructure and services is now widely acknowledged. It is also accepted that this is highly challenging.
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