Latest News + Insights
Urban politics and power in Mogadishu
ACRC researchers Surer Mohamed, Afyare Elmi, Abdirizak Muhumed and Abdifatah Tahir discuss urban politics and power dynamics, issues of security and citizenship, and the trends they are seeing that give them hope for urban reform in Mogadishu.
A necessary balancing act: Household microenterprises and mobile money taxation in Africa
The taxation of mobile money transactions has become a popular policy in many African countries in recent years. This drive is largely motivated by rising national debts and the growing popularity of mobile money transactions on the continent, especially amongst low-income earners, notably household microenterprises (HMEs).
Urban reform coalitions in Harare: A conversation with George Masimba
George Masimba talks to Ezana Haddis Weldeghebrael about Dialogue on Shelter Trust’s experiences of working within reform coalitions to improve access to urban services for marginalised communities in Harare.
Exploring practical pathways for urban reform in Nairobi
The ACRC Nairobi team convened a final research uptake workshop on 9-10 March 2023. The two-day event aimed to stimulate policymakers, community representatives, county government officials, urban practitioners and professionals, to actively champion reforms for positive urban transformation in the city.
Doing research with disadvantaged people: Navigating challenges and intricacies
This blog post draws on the authors’ experiences of researching disadvantaged people, the strategies devised to address challenges and questions raised through these encounters, and thoughts on how researchers can safeguard against generating and/or reinforcing vulnerabilities during fieldwork and moving forward.
Uptake workshop in Lilongwe brings together mayor and city stakeholders
ACRC’s Lilongwe research team and ICLEI Africa held the final uptake workshop for the foundation phase of the programme on Friday 10 March 2023.
Conducting research in fragile cities: Reflections on my experience in Maiduguri, Nigeria
Maiduguri, a city in north-eastern Nigeria, has been plagued by insurgency perpetrated by Boko Haram over the past 13 years. I am interested in what territorial and governance gaps may have emerged and the implications on everyday safety and security in the city.
How can cities create better jobs in sub-Saharan Africa?
Structural transformation involves the movement of workers from low-productivity sectors to high-productivity sectors. It has historically been associated with a shift from agrarian economies to more industrial economies based around urban areas.
Can identifying “priority complex problems” catalyse urban reform?
African cities are dealing with a range of interlocking, dynamic and seemingly intractable challenges. Through research that builds evidence and supports coalitions of urban reformers, we aim to show how complex problems in African cities can be solved collectively.
Improving access to housing in Dar es Salaam: ACRC research in the national press
Initial research findings from ACRC on housing in Dar es Salaam feature in a recent article in Tanzanian national newspaper, The Guardian.
Sign up to our newsletter
Keep up to date with all the latest news and insights from the African Cities Research Consortium.