Housing as a catalyst for Africa’s resilient and inclusive urban transformation

This background paper has been developed in preparation for the Local and Regional Governments Forum at the second Africa Urban Forum (AUF2), taking place in Nairobi, Kenya. AUF2 provides a critical platform to articulate a shared African perspective on sustainable urban development. Convened under the theme “Adequate Housing for All: Advancing Socio-economic and Environmental Transformation towards the Realisation of Agenda 2063,” the Forum offers a timely opportunity to elevate housing as a foundational driver of productivity, urban sustainability and structural transformation. 

This paper argues that delivering adequate housing at scale will depend on recognising local governments as central actors in shaping Africa’s urban future. Municipalities sit at the forefront of planning, service delivery and implementation, and are best placed to respond to local needs with context-specific housing and settlement solutions, crafted and implemented through a “social compact” modality. They also have a vital coordinating role to play in aligning land, infrastructure, and finance with communities, civil society and developers.

AUF2 presents an opportunity to advance a stronger policy agenda centred on empowered local governance in housing delivery. This paper identifies pathways to strengthen locally led solutions, expand innovative financing partnerships, embed resilience in housing systems and reframe approaches to informality, grounded in the realities of African cities.

Featured image credit: Benjamin Kollenberg