Latest News + Insights
In the shadow of Nairobi’s expansion: From peasants to paupers
In a new open access book, Peasants to Paupers: Land, Class and Kinship in Central Kenya, Peter Lockwood – former Hallsworth Fellow at The University of Manchester and now a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Goettingen – tells the human stories behind Kenya’s rapid urban expansion and the families being left behind.
Crime-fighting in Lagos: Community watch groups are the preferred choice for residents, but they carry risks
Criminal activities have developed into a security crisis in Nigeria. Alongside the responses of security agencies such as the police and military, there has been a huge local response, with community groups mobilising in the face of criminal attacks.
Awareness of youth programmes in Uganda is high – so why is participation so low?
Across Uganda, awareness of government youth programmes is impressively high, but youth participation remains stubbornly low. Our recent study sought to understand why knowing about these programmes does not necessarily translate into active participation.
Left in the dark: Understanding streetlighting provision challenges in Lagos and its informal settlements
Safe streets make for safe cities, but a lack of lighting can exacerbate the everyday insecurity of urban residents. ACRC’s safety and security research in Lagos found the absence of streetlighting in low-income areas to be a key concern among residents, as the cover of darkness facilitates urban crime and makes law enforcement more difficult.
Welcoming Professor Tom Goodfellow to Manchester
We’re excited to welcome Professor Tom Goodfellow to The University of Manchester to take up a dual role as Professor of Urban Development at the Global Development Institute (GDI) and CEO of the African Cities Research Consortium (ACRC) – a position he will take over from Diana Mitlin in August this year.
Unravelling a complex web: Electricity subsidy experiences in Kampala’s informal settlements
Electricity subsidies may seem like a straightforward solution to the challenge of supplying electricity to Kampala’s informal settlements. However, the contextual realities of the electricity supply chain paints a slightly different story.
Mapping electricity access in Kampala’s informal settlements: Kamyufus, subsidies and community perceptions
Through our research into the electricity supply and distribution value chains in Kampala’s informal settlements, we are trying to learn more about why electricity subsidies fail to reach those in most need – and the alternatives that residents turn to, in order to gain access to power.
Equity and digitisation in the property tax system in Lagos: A win-win for all?
Equitable taxation is about building fairer systems which align with a much-needed path to inclusive urban development. The Lagos property tax system can be improved to facilitate a win-win for all urban residents.
Tackling Freetown’s kush epidemic through action research
Kush is a type of synthetic drug that is widely used by young people in Sierra Leone, especially in the informal settlements of Freetown. It is inexpensive and readily available, making it highly accessible to unemployed and marginalised youth. Its use is associated with a range of harmful effects, including extreme sedation, organ damage and mental health complications.
Podcast: Unpacking housing challenges in African cities
ACRC’s housing domain co-leads Alexandre Apsan Frediani and Ola Uduku join Diana Mitlin for a conversation around housing justice in African cities, drawing on insights from the seven cities studied in their report: Accra, Addis Ababa, Dar es Salaam, Freetown, Lagos, Lilongwe and Nairobi.
Sign up to our newsletter
Keep up to date with all the latest news and insights from the African Cities Research Consortium.