Skip to main content Accessibility help

We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.

Close cookie message
×
Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-hc48f Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-27T11:53:07.118Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

17 - Urban Planning and Quality of Life of Urban Residents in Africa

from Part III - Sustainable Urban Planning in Africa

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 December 2023

By
Akeem Bayonle Ola
Edited by
Patrick Brandful Cobbinah  and
Eric Gaisie
Patrick Brandful Cobbinah
Affiliation:
University of Melbourne
Eric Gaisie
Affiliation:
University of Melbourne
Get access

Summary

The rapid rate of urbanisation in Africa accompanied by a myriad of socio-economic, physical and environmental challenges and the persistence of these challenges have called into question the effectiveness of urban planning in managing this phenomenon to achieve an improved quality of life. This chapter, through an extensive review of the literature, examines the magnitude of Africa’s urbanisation challenges, the planning response to those challenges and the effects of planning on the quality of life. The chapter notes a peculiar urbanisation with rapid human agglomeration but without commensurate urban facilities and services. Urban planning is characterised by heavy reliance on western planning models that has made it less responsive to the socio-economic, cultural and spatial requirements of the people, thus making cities less liveable. The chapter calls for a re-examination of urban planning practice and suggests measures that could be explored to reposition urban planning for effective urban management in Africa.

Keywords

human welfareliveabilitysocio-economic developmenturbanisation challengesurban development
Type
Chapter
Information
Reimagining Urban Planning in Africa , pp. 303 - 324
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2023

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Abu-Salia, R., Osumanu, K. I., & Ahmed, A. (2015). Coping with the challenges of urbanization in low-income areas: An analysis of the livelihood systems of slum dwellers of the Wa Municipality, Ghana. Current Urban Studies, 3, 105–118.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
AFDB (2017). Jobs for youth in Africa. African Development Bank. www.afdb.org/en/topics-and-sectors-sectors-human-capital-development/jobs-youthGoogle Scholar
Adeleye, L. A. (2010). Understanding urban and regional planning law and administration in Nigeria. Ile-Ife: Timade Ventures.Google Scholar
Aetna (2021). Your path to better health. 2021 Aetna health plan options. www.aetnabetterhealth.com/content/dam/aetna/medicaid/west-virginia/provider/pdf/abhwv_cahps_2021.pdfGoogle Scholar
African Policy Circle (2020). Addressing the challenges of urbanization in Africa. https://africanpolicycircle.net/Google Scholar
Africa Renewal (2017). Healthcare systems: Time for a rethink. www.un.org/africarenewal/sites/www.un.org.africarenewal/files/Africa_Renewal_En_Dec2016_Mar2017_0.pdfGoogle Scholar
Afrin, S., Chowdhury, F., & Rahman, M. (2021). COVID-19 pandemic: Rethinking strategies for resilient urban design, perceptions, and planning. Frontiers of Sustainable Cities, 14, 7.Google Scholar
Alderton, A., Davern, M., & Nitvimol, K. (2019). What is the meaning of urban liveability for a city in a low-to-middle-income country? Contextualising liveability for Bangkok, Thailand. Global Health, 15, 51.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Badiora, A., & Ojo, D. (2021). Perceived constraints to public participation in contemporary Nigerian land-use planning. Town and Regional Planning, 78, 16–33.Google Scholar
Badiora, A., Bako, A., & Olaleye, O. (2020). Evaluating public participation in a project review: A Nigerian case study. Journal of Multidisciplinary Evaluation, 16(36), 1–25.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Begashaw, B. (2019). Africa and the Sustainable Development Goals: A long way to go. Africa in Focus. www.brookings.edu/blog/africa-in-focus/2019/07/29/africa-and-the-sustainable-development-goals-a-long-way-to-go/Google Scholar
Bérenger, V., & Verdier-Chouchane, A. (2007). Multidimensional measures of well-being: Standard of living and quality of life across countries. World Development, 35(7), 1259–1276.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bennett, A. F. (2003). Linkages in the landscape: The role of corridors and connectivity in wildlife conservation. Cambridge: IUCN.Google Scholar
Bloomberg (2021). Nigeria unemployment rate rises to 33%, second highest on global list. www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-03-15/nigeria-unemployment-rate-rises-to-second-highest-on-global-list#xj4y7vzkgGoogle Scholar
Bolay, J. C. (2015). Urban planning in Africa: Which alternative for poor cities? The case of Koudougou in Burkina Faso. Current Urban Studies, 3, 413–431.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brankovic, J. (2019). What drives violence in South Africa? Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR), South Africa.Google Scholar
Breidlid, A. (2009). Culture, indigenous knowledge systems and sustainable development: A critical view of education in an African context. International Journal of Educational Development, 29(2), 140–148.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Castonguay, C. (2021). How are cities being designed for the post-COVID world? Mimeo, Faculty of Urban and Environmental Change, York University.Google Scholar
Charron, N., Dijkstra, L., & Lapuente, V. (2014). Regional governance matters: Quality of government within European Union member states. Regional Studies, 48(1), 68–90.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chowdhury, O. H. (1991). Human development index: A critique. Bangladesh Development Studies, 19(3), 125–127.Google Scholar
Cities Alliance (2021). Slums and slum upgrading. www.citiesalliance.org/themes/slums-and-slum-upgrading/Google Scholar
Costanza, R., Brendan, F. S., Beer, C., Bond, L., Roelof, B., Nicholas, L., Dickinson, J., Elliott, C. Farley, J., & Gayer, E. D. (2007). Quality of life: An approach integrating opportunities, human needs, and subjective well-being. Ecological Economics, 6, 267–276.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Datta, A., & Shaban, A. (2016). Mega-urbanisation in the global south. London: Routledge.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) (2012). A summary of the liveability ranking and overview. www.economist.com/media/pdf/QUALITY_OF_LIFE.pdfGoogle Scholar
Echendu, A. J. (2020). The impact of flooding on Nigeria’s sustainable development goals (SDGs). Ecosystem Health and Sustainability, 6(1), 1791735.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
European Commission (2022). Cities and urban development. https://ec.europa.eu/info/eu-regional-and-urban-development/topics/cities-and-urban-development_enGoogle Scholar
Folke, C., Jansson, Å., Rockström, J., Olsson, P., Carpenter, S. R., Chapin, F. S., ... & Westley, F. (2011). Reconnecting to the biosphere. Ambio, 40, 719–738.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fourie, D. J. (2014). The role of public sector enterprises in the South African economy. African Journal of Public Affairs, 7( 1), 30–40.Google Scholar
FRN (Federal Republic of Nigeria) (1978). Land Use Act No. 6 of 1978. Lagos: Federal Government Printer.Google Scholar
FRN (Federal Republic of Nigeria) (1992). The Nigerian Urban and Regional Planning Decree No. 88 of 1992. Lagos: Federal Government Printer.Google Scholar
FRN (Federal Republic of Nigeria) (1999). Nigerian Urban and Regional Planning Act 18 of 1999. Abuja: Nigeria.Google Scholar
Ge, J., & Hokao, K. (2006). Research on residential lifestyles in Japanese cities from the viewpoints of residential preference, residential choice and residential satisfaction. Landscape and Urban Planning, 78(3), 165–178.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Githira, D. (2020). Analysis of multiple deprivations in secondary cities in sub-Saharan Africa. UNICEF. www.unicef.org/esa/media/5561/file/Analysis%20of%20Multiple%20Deprivations%20in%20Secondary%20Cities%20-%20Analysis%20Report.pdfGoogle Scholar
Griffiths, P. (2017). Bolstering urbanization efforts: Africa’s approach to the New Urban Agenda. Africa Growth Initiative, Brookings Institute.Google Scholar
Hamam, S., Shalaby, A. Farouh, H., & Elariane, S. (2013). Principles of urban quality of life for a neighborhood. HBRC Journal, 9(1), 86–92.Google Scholar
Hankey, S., & Marshall, J. D. (2017). Urban form, air pollution, and health. Current Environmental Health Reports, 4(4), 491–503.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Harrison, P., & Croese, S. (2023). The persistence and rise of master planning in urban Africa: Transnational circuits and local ambitions. Planning Perspectives, 38(1), 25–47.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Heikkilä, L. (2006). The comparison of Indigenous and scientific perceptions of reindeer management. In Forbes, B. C., Bölter, M., Müller-Wille, L., Hukkinen, J., Müller, F., Gunslay, N. & Konstantinov, Y. (eds.), 2006. Reindeer management in northernmost Europe: Linking practical and scientific knowledge in social-ecological systems (pp. 73–93). Ecological Studies 184. Berlin: Springer.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Heinonen, U. (2008). The hidden role of informal economy. Helsinki University of Technology, Finland.Google Scholar
Higgs, C., Badland, H., & Simons, K. (2019). The Urban Liveability Index: Developing a policy-relevant urban liveability composite measure and evaluating associations with transport mode choice. International Journal of Health Geography, 18, 14.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Horn, A. (2019). The history of urban growth management in South Africa: Tracking the origin and current status of urban edge policies in three metropolitan municipalities. Planning Perspectives, 34(6), 959–977.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Horn, P. (2021). Enabling participatory planning to be scaled in exclusionary urban political environments: Lessons from the Mukuru Special Planning Area in Nairobi. Environment and Urbanization, 33(2), 519–538.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ibrahim, K. (2014). Post-revolutionary urban Egypt: A new mode of practice? http://journals.openedition.org/ema/3330Google Scholar
ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross) (2022). Nothing to eat: Food crisis is soaring across Africa. International Committee of the Red Cross. www.icrc.org/en/document/food-crisis-soaring-across-africaGoogle Scholar
Inkoom, D. (2022). The implications of COVID-19 on urban development research in Africa. International Science Council. https://council.science/current/blog/the-implications-of-covid-19-on-urban-development-research-in-africa/Google Scholar
Institute for Economics and Peace (2021). Global Terrorism Index 2020: Measuring the Impact of Terrorism, Sydney. November 2020. www.economicsandpeace.org/reports/Google Scholar
Iqbal, M. (2022). State of housing sector in Pakistan. Pakistan and Gulf Economist, 4 October.Google Scholar
Jenkins, P., Smith, H., & Wang, Y. (2007). Planning and housing in the rapidly urbanizing world. Melbourne: Routledge.Google Scholar
Jiman, C. (2017). Public participation efficiency in planning for urban development in Bida, Nigeria. PhD dissertation, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.Google Scholar
Jiman, C., Johar, F. B., & Zayyanu, M. (2016). Challenges impeding public participation for the development of urban communities in Nigeria. Indian Journal of Science and Technology, 9(46), 1–5.Google Scholar
Kahrik, A., Temelova, J., Kadarik, K., & Kubes, J. (2015). What attracts people to inner city areas? The cases of two post-socialist cities in Estonia and the Czech Republic. Urban Studies, 53(2), 355–372.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Keck, M. (2022). These are the world’s top 10 most liveable cities in 2022. www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/worlds-most-liveable-cities-2022/?gclid=CjwKCAjw7p6aBhBiEiwA83fGugbAUGDTUHE0p78TQUgdrd6gS_COI7E87BcXjCc7fpKcqSIxkcMMHRoC_tEQAvD_BwEGoogle Scholar
Koojo, C. (2005). Physical plan implementation in respect to urban wetland management. Makerere: Makerere University, Kenya.Google Scholar
Madobi, M. (2022). Dry season and incessant fire outbreaks. https://newsdiaryonline.com/dry-season-and-incessant-fire-outbreaks/Google Scholar
Marans, R. (2015). Quality of urban life and environmental sustainability studies: Future linkage opportunities. Habitat International, 45, 47–52.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mberu, B. U., Haregu, T. N., Kyobutungi, C., & Ezeh, A. C. (2017). Health and health-related indicators in slum, rural, and urban communities: A comparative analysis. Global Health Action, 9, 331–363.Google Scholar
Mercer (2011). Mercer 2011 Quality of Living Survey highlights – Defining ‘quality of living’. www.mercer.com/articles/quality-of-living-definition-1436405Google Scholar
Mo Ibrahim Foundation (2022). Spotlight 20: Violence against women: The shadow pandemic for which there is no vaccine. https://mo.ibrahim.foundation/research-spotlight-20-covid-19-and-africas-governanceGoogle Scholar
Morrison, P. S., & Weckroth, M. (2018). Human values, subjective well-being and the metropolitan region. Regional Studies, 52, 325–337.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Muhammed, Z., & Abubakar, I. (2019). Improving the quality of life of urban communities in developing countries. In Responsible consumption and production: Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Cham: Springer.Google Scholar
Murray, M. (2017). Timing the disorderly city: The spatial landscape of Johannesburg after apartheid. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.Google Scholar
Muthoni-Maina, M. (2020). Nairobi Integrated Urban Development Master Plan. Nairobi: IGLUS, AKU.Google Scholar
Ngau, P. (2013). A new approach to urban planning in Kenya. London: Africa Research Institute.Google Scholar
Nia, H. Atun, R., & Rahbarianyazd, R. (2017). Perception based method for measuring the aesthetic quality of the urban environment. Open House International, 42(2), 11.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nnodim, O. (2022). Housing deficit worsens amid Abuja, Lagos vacancy rates. https://punchng.com/author/onnodim/Google Scholar
OCHA (2022). Global Humanitarian Overview. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. www.unocha.org/2022GHOGoogle Scholar
OECD (2018). Water security and key megatrends in African cities. www.oecd-ilibrary.org/sites/19effb77-en/index.html?itemId=/content/publication/19effb77-enGoogle Scholar
OECD (2021). OECD survey on water governance in African cities. Paris: OECD.Google Scholar
Ogbozor, E. (2016). Understanding the informal security sector in Nigeria. www.usip.org/publications/2016/09/understanding-informal-security-sector-nigeriaGoogle Scholar
Ola, A. B. (2020): Building a food-resilient city through urban agriculture: The case of Ilorin, Nigeria. Town and Regional Planning, 77, 89–102.Google Scholar
Oyesiku, K. (1997). Modern urban and regional planning law and administration in Nigeria. Ibadan: Kraft Books.Google Scholar
Parker, S. (2015). Urban theory and the urban experience: Encountering the city. London: Routledge.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Peris-Ortiz, M., Ferreira, J. J., Farinha, L., & Fernandes, N. O. (2016). Introduction to multiple helix ecosystems for sustainable competitiveness. In Peris-Ortiz, M., Ferreira, J., Farinha, L., & Fernandes, N. (eds.), Multiple helix ecosystems for sustainable competitiveness: Innovation, technology, and knowledge management (pp. 1–13). Cham: Springer.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pfeiffer, D., & Cloutier, S. (2016). Planning for happy neighborhoods. Journal of the American Planning Association, 82(3), 267–279.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pili, S., Grigoriadis, E., Carlucci, M. Clemente, M., & Salvati, L. (2017). Towards sustainable growth? A multi-criteria assessment of changing urban forms. Ecological Indicators, 76, 71–80.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Raid, M. A. (2018). Laws and regulations governing the Egyptian urban areas and shortcomings. Journal of Environmental Science, 43(1), 105–138.Google Scholar
Riham, M., Ali, B., & Yousry, A. (2017). New urban indicators for evaluating urban policies in Egypt: City capacity and capability. Procedia Environmental Sciences, 37, 53–67.Google Scholar
Robinson, J. (2014). New geographies of theorizing the urban: Putting comparison to work for global urban studies. In Parnell, S. & Oldfield, S. (eds.), The Routledge handbook on cities of the global south. Abingdon: Routledge.Google Scholar
Ronoh, G. (2020). Strategies for improving public participation for sustainable development in selected counties in Kenya. International Journal of Development and Sustainability, 9, 33–48.Google Scholar
Rosenbaum, P., Livingston, M., Palisano, R. Galuppi, B., & Russell, D. (2007). Quality of life and health-related quality of life of adolescents with cerebral palsy. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, 49(7), 516–521.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Saghir, J., & Santoro, J. (2018). Urbanization in sub-Saharan Africa. Centre for Strategic and International Studies. www.csis.org/analysis/urbanization-sub-saharan-africaGoogle Scholar
Schoenkopf, J. (2018). Imaginary Johannesburg. www.academia.edu/38460461/imaginary.johannesburg_7_.pdfGoogle Scholar
SDGC/ASDSN (2020). Africa SDG index and dashboards report 2020. Sustainable Development Goals Center for Africa and Sustainable Development Solutions Network.Google Scholar
Shawkat, Y., and & Hendawy, M. (2016). Myths and facts of urban planning in Egypt. www.academia.edu/38277483/Myths_and_Facts_of_Urban_Planning_in_Egypt_EnglishGoogle Scholar
Sheikh, A. and Razavian, M. (2013). Analysis moving towards sustainable development of a city with emphasis on the quality of urban life: The case of Noor. Environment and Urbanisation, 4, 31–56.Google Scholar
Shingirirai, S., Rainer, Q., & Steckel, J. (2017). The G20’s role in improving quality of life through sustainable energy and urban infrastructure in Africa. G 20 Insights. www.G20-insights.orgGoogle Scholar
SSATP (Africa Transport Policy Program) (2021). African cities facing the urban mobility crisis: The challenge of national mobility policies in Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Guinea, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda and Senegal. www.ssatp/Google Scholar
Statista (2021). Terrorism in Nigeria – Statistics & facts. www.statista.com/topics/7396/terrorism-in-nigeria/Google Scholar
Statista (2022). Malaysia unemployment rate September 2022. www.statista.com/statistics/319019/unemployment-rate-in-malaysia/Google Scholar
Stucki, M. (2015). Policies for sustainable accessibility and mobility in urban areas of Africa. SSATP Working Paper No. 106.Google Scholar
Totaforti, S. (2020). Urban planning in post-apartheid South African cities: The case of Johannesburg. Open Journal of Political Science, 10, 507–520.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
UN (2019). Sudan must hand over former president, other suspects. International Criminal Court prosecutor tells Security Council, urging justice for victims of violence. www.un.org/press/en/2019/sc13849.doc.htmGoogle Scholar
UNCTAD (2018). Economic development in Africa report. https://unctad.org/en/PublicationChapters/edar2018_ch1_en.pdfGoogle Scholar
UNDP (2022). Human Development Report 2021–22. United Nations Development Programme. https://hdr.undp.org/content/human-development-report-2021-22Google Scholar
UN-Habitat (2007). Global report on human settlements 2007 – Enhancing urban safety and security. United Nations Human Settlements Programme. https://unhabitat.org/sites/default/files/download-manager-files/Summary%20of%20the%20Global%20Report%20on%20Human%20Settlements%202007%20Enhancing%20urban%20safety%20and%20Security%20Volume%203.pdfGoogle Scholar
UN-Habitat (2009). Global Human Settlements Report. Planning Sustainable Cities. London: Earthscan.Google Scholar
UN-Habitat (2015). African Forum for Urban Safety launched. https://unhabitat.org/africa-forum-for-urban-safety-launched/Google Scholar
UN-Habitat (2017). Sustainable cities: Key to implementing SDGs in Africa, LAC. www.unhabitat.orgGoogle Scholar
UN-Habitat (2019).Urban planning in Kenya: A survey of urban planning practices in the counties. Nairobi: United Nations Human Settlements Programme.Google Scholar
UN-Habitat (2020). COVID-19 in African cities: Impacts, responses and policies. Nairobi: United Nations Human Settlements Programme.Google Scholar
US Green Technology (2018). Is green tech bringing innovations to regular power sources? https://usgreentechnology.com/about-us-green-technology/Google Scholar
WCED (1987). Our common future. World Commission on Environment and Development. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Weje, I., & Worahu, F. (2018). Quality of life and livability in selected neighborhoods in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, 8(12), 385–390.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Winkle, T. (2016). Safety benefits of automated vehicles. In Winner, M. (ed.), Autonomous driving (pp. 335–364). Berlin: Springer.Google Scholar
WHO/UNICEF (2019). Progress on household drinking water, sanitation and hygiene 2000–17. Special focus on inequalities. New York: World Health Organization and United Nations Children’s Fund.Google Scholar
World Bank (2017). Environmental and social framework. international bank for reconstruction and development. World Bank. https://thedocs.worldbank.org/en/doc/837721522762050108-0290022018/original/ESFFramework.pdfGoogle Scholar
World Bank (2022). World development indicators. Washington, DC: World Bank.Google Scholar
World Economic Forum (2022). Low water accessibility in sub-Saharan Africa means children are having to go to wells instead of to school. How big is the problem? www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/09/water-accessibility-divide-sub-saharan-africa-visualised/Google Scholar
Wurm, M., Weigand, M., Stark, T., Goebel, J., Wagner, G. G., & Taubenböck, H. (2019). Modelling the impact of the urban spatial structure on the choice of residential location using ‘big earth data’ and machine learning. Joint Urban Remote Sensing Conference, Vannes, France, 22–24 May, pp. 1–4.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zenker, S., & Rütter, N. (2014). Is satisfaction the key? The role of citizen satisfaction, place attachment and place brand attitude on positive citizenship behavior. Cities, 38, 11–17.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zenker, S., Eggers, F., & Farsky, M. (2013). Putting a price tag on cities: Insights into the competitive environment of places. Cities, 30, 133–139.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zitti, M., Ferrara, C., Perini, L., Carlucci, M., & Salvati, L. (2015). Long-term urban growth and land use efficiency in Southern Europe: Implications for sustainable land management. Sustainability, 7, 3359–3385.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure no-reply@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×