Latest News + Insights
A city under water: Reflections on Nairobi’s seasonal flooding challenges
Flooding is not an isolated occurrence, but rather the visible manifestation of deeper structural and systemic challenges within Nairobi’s urban environment. It reflects the cumulative impact of widespread encroachment onto riparian corridors across both formal and informal developments, which has significantly reduced the natural capacity of rivers to accommodate excess flows.
Podcast: Urban markets, informality and climate resilience in Harare
Chris Jordan and Rosebella Apollo are joined by Harare-based practitioners George Masimba and Shiela Muganyi to explore what inclusive urban reform looks like in practice.
Journalism and urban challenges in Lagos
Media coverage can play a critical role in securing political traction for urban issues and ensuring accountability of decision makers. While researchers are ideally placed to highlight new trends, problems and potential solutions, in practice, there is often a gap.
Uncovering the hidden dynamics of solid waste management in Mathare, Nairobi
Informal waste workers are the unseen backbone of Nairobi’s waste value chain. Moving from households to dumpsites, then to recyclers, farmers, businesses and other end users, they keep solid waste flowing – filling the gaps left by formal systems.
Is soil filling a solution to flooding in Kampala’s Ggaba Market?
Ggaba Market, located on the shores of Lake Victoria in Makindye Division, Kampala, is one of the city’s most lucrative markets for fish, fresh produce and basic essentials. For years, the market has battled with seasonal flooding, most significantly in 2021.
Melting metropolis? Why Lagos urgently needs an inclusive heat action plan
With a current population of approximately 20 million, the current rate of growth indicates that Lagos might become the largest city globally by 2100. Physical development patterns associated with the current urbanisation rate result in urban heat island (UHI) effects.
Expanding school feeding in Nairobi’s informal settlements
On 4 February 2026, LVCT Health and ACRC convened a validation workshop to review findings from a pilot study examining the potential of school feeding programmes in Nairobi’s informal school sector.
Empowering Mogadishu’s young people in civic activism and urban citizenship
Building on ACRC’s research in Mogadishu, the Heritage Institute for Policy Studies organised a three-day workshop on “Empowering youth for civic activism and urban citizenship”, in collaboration with ACRC and the Somali Gender and Equity Movement (SGEM).
Watch: Water, sanitation and dignity in Mukuru Viwandani
A new video showcases the power of collaboration between government, civil society organisations, development partners and local communities in delivering transformative and inclusive water and sanitation services to marginalised residents of the Mukuru informal settlements in Nairobi.
Streetlights in Lagos can boost safety and grow the economy – why not everyone benefits
Streetlighting plays a crucial role in public safety and security, and it promotes inclusive social and economic development by boosting local commerce, street businesses and community engagement.
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