Africa’s cities are growing at an unprecedented rate, with populations swelling by nearly two Londons’ worth of residents each year. Unlike traditional urbanization trends, this expansion is defying conventional patterns, raising questions about infrastructure, planning, and economic readiness. The shift suggests a rethinking of how cities develop in the face of rapid demographic change. Experts are examining whether current models can accommodate such dramatic—and unpredictable—growth.
The continent’s urban centres are set to expand by 19mn people annually, or by nearly two Londons a year. But urbanisation is not following a familiar path
