The rate of Urbanization in Africa is, currently, faster than it was 30 years ago. As the African Union projects, by 2050, the percentage of African population living in urban areas is predicted to rise from 47% in 2000 to around 60% by 2050.
The number of people moved from rural to urban rises with an average annual urban growth rate of 3.5% in the last 20 years which results from better living condition. This in development also makes Africa the largest urbanization in the developing world, and this trend is anticipated to continue until the year 2050.
Though Urbanization becomes fashion of the day across the Continent, Urbanization in Africa also varies by region because of having its own geographic and historical contexts. As sources from the African Union indicates “East Africa has the lowest rate of people living in cities while South and North Africa lead in urban growth; followed by Central and West Africa who are home to some of the largest megacities in Africa”.
African Urban Forum will kick off on the 4-6 September 2024 and hosted by Ethiopia under the theme of ‘Sustainable Urbanization for Africa’s Transformation: Agenda 2063’. The forum was established in 2022 which is a continental platform that promotes sustainable development in African human settlements. Rapid urbanization at continental level promotes inter-state relations as stipulated in Agenda 2063 of the AU.
The core aim of Africa’s Urban Forum is leveling socioeconomic infrastructure response to the rapid urbanization in Africa, its opportunities, & challenges, and the need to create a continental scale forum to support an inclusive and holistic approach to unlocking the potential of urbanization in the continent. Economic, cultural and social perspectives change when a large portion of the population moves from rural to urban areas.