Latest News + Insights
Podcast: The value of cross-city learning exchanges
ACRC city managers Jack Makau and Temilade Sesan join Tom Goodfellow to talk about the action research that’s underway in their cities, along with how urban communities in informal settlements can build power through their own forms of knowledge and data collection, and how two-way exchanges between cities can strengthen this process.
Supporting community responses to kush in Freetown: Next steps
Although ACRC’s funding of action research in Freetown on the synthetic drug, kush, came to an end in September 2025, its legacy continues. There is ongoing work to address the challenges of reducing kush use, building on the gains of the action research.
Unpacking the complexity of informal urban land governance in Kisenyi informal settlement, Kampala
During ACRC’s foundation phase, the Kampala land and connectivity domain research revealed how relevant and critical local councils (LCs) are in land transfers, especially in informal settlements. To deepen our understanding of this challenge, we are conducting action research in Kisenyi informal settlement in Kampala.
Building capacity and raising awareness around urban issues in Lagos
Following a capacity building workshop held by DevReporting, eight selected journalists have received one-on-one editorial guidance from mentors to help strengthen their evidence gathering and maximise story quality and impact.
Organic composting and tricycle operator cooperatives: Tackling Accra’s growing waste crisis through action research
Around 60% of Accra’s residents live in informal settlements characterised by inadequate infrastructure for solid waste management. ACRC is conducting two action research projects aimed at addressing the city’s solid waste management challenges.
Electricity in Kampala: Turning “access to all” from slogan to reality
The need for access to safe and affordable energy has been recognised at the global scale, but progress towards equitable access for all has been slow in many low-income neighbourhoods.
How rural–urban migration is unsettling gender norms in Ethiopia
A newly published open access article in Development in Practice offers important insights into how migration is challenging and reshaping gender norms among young people in Ethiopia.
From the inside out: Why Africa’s development must be built with its people
On Wednesday 6 May, ACRC colleagues met with the former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo at his Presidential Library in Abeokuta. The meeting was timely and insightful, and it turned out to be far more than a courtesy visit.
New research: What does progress look like for household microenterprises in African cities?
A new paper, led by Stephen Gelb, outlines key findings from ACRC’s neighbourhood and district economic development domain research, which looked at HMEs in five African cities: Accra, Ghana; Lagos, Nigeria; Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; Lilongwe, Malawi; and Harare, Zimbabwe.
Insights from the World Urban Forum 13: Co-producing knowledge for climate-resilient African cities
African cities are changing fast. They are expanding, absorbing new populations, confronting climate risks, and struggling with long-standing gaps in housing, infrastructure, health, sanitation and basic services. This was the central message of a WUF13 Urban Library session convened by the Centre for Housing and Sustainable Development, University of Lagos.
Sign up to our newsletter
Keep up to date with all the latest news and insights from the African Cities Research Consortium.