Traversing Urbanization in Sub-Saharan Africa

 by Gerald Chungu

he FIFA 2010 World Cup hosted by South Africa gave that rare opportunity for the global community to look at the reality of what Africa really is. This reality is that Sub-Saharan Africa has both villages and cities and there are no giraffes, zebras or lions running outside people's homes. Sub-Saharan Africa's population remains predominantly rural, but this scenario is changing rapidly due to urbanization.

Sub-Saharan Africa is the last of the globe's regions to begin to urbanize. This process is well underway; the region has the fastest urbanization rate in the world today. What's notable about this trend is that there is no corresponding economic growth as has been the case in the world's other urbanized regions. Africa's urbanization is characterized largely by stagnant economies and high levels of poverty. It's these high levels of urban poverty that eclipse other aspects of urban life.

Mental and visual images of Africa are dominated by scenes of squalor, disease and hardship. Despite this, many people continue to flock to urban centers in search of a better life. But is there a better life in the city? The answer to this question may vary between individuals. However, most people who have made the move from rural to urban will tell you that there are more opportunities in the cities – or maybe say there are more advantages in the city than in rural areas.

The driving factor behind Sub-Saharan Africa's economic growth-free urbanization is something called urban advantage. Urban areas in Africa generally have more and better basic services and jobs than rural areas. Despite these not being adequate enough for various large populations, at least they do exist. This is urban advantage – the availability (even in small quantities) of these services provides urban populations potential access to services and jobs. This potential is as real as it is perceived. This potential access is usually what most people hope for. It provides a ray of light, a chance to break out of the cycle of poverty. Many urban denizens look to this urban advantage as something which will provide a stepping stone to a better life and benefit their children in the long run, and eventually break their families out of the cycle of poverty.

Despite the deploring and desperate conditions, this perception (and hope) of potentially accessing these urban advantages is enough to keep many of urban poor going. In a variety of ways, it is possible for many to actually access these few basic services. Most of the emerging middle class has roots in this seemingly hopeless scenario either directly or indirectly. And potential access raises the potential for a better life and happiness.

A visual image of many African cities shows sprawling slums, ghettos and shanty towns to be unplanned settlements. These are places with no basic services or infrastructure.

Other images show people selling all sorts of things along the streets. The lack of these basic services and unemployment are among some of the problems faced by the urban poor. Their responses to these problems demonstrate resilience, perseverance, imagination and creativity – a scenario very different from the stereotypical images of African urbanization.

This is exemplified in the plethora of informal economic activities that characterize many African cities. Initially seen as a problem, informality is now recognized as a major employer and contributor to the GDP of many countries. It provides an avenue for the urban poor to explore, exploit and access urban opportunities. Under very extreme and forbidding conditions, many of Sub-Sahara Africa's urban citizens have shown great determination and creativity amid extremely limited resources. This creativity and resourcefulness needs to be harnessed and developed when it comes to solving Africa's urban problems.