In brief
The World Bank has issued a call to sub‑Saharan African governments to treat the region’s rapid urbanization as a catalyst for growth and employment. The report warns that without better planning and mobilization of private capital, many of the 15 million youths entering the labor market each year may remain stuck in low‑wage informal work. Key recommendations include stronger land governance, investment in transport and infrastructure, and partnership with private investors.
The World Bank released a report titled “Africa’s Urban Awakening: Catalyzing Economic Growth and Job Creation” on Wednesday, urging sub‑Saharan African countries to harness rapid urbanization as a powerful engine of economic growth and job creation.
The report notes that the region’s urban population grew from 170 million in 1975 to 913 million in 2025 and is projected to reach 1.7 billion by 2050, underscoring a trend that the bank calls “ urban awakening.”
It adds that around 15 million young people enter the African labor market each year, a number that underscores the urgency of creating more jobs that are productive, sustainable and better‑paid.
Marie‑Chantal Uwanyiligira, World Bank division director for Côte d’Ivoire, Benin, Guinea and Togo, said the region currently suffers "productivity gains remain limited, incomes have grown slowly, and too many jobs remain informal and poorly paid."
To respond to these challenges, the report recommends improved urban planning, targeted investment in infrastructure and transport, and stronger regulatory frameworks and land governance structures that secure tenure and encourage efficient land use.
It also urges governments to mobilize private capital to finance urban facilities and services, arguing that public finance alone cannot meet the scale of needed investment.
Côte d’Ivoire illustrates some of the report’s facts: official data show the country had 17.84 million urban residents out of an estimated total population of 32.8 million last year, and the number of localities with more than 100,000 inhabitants jumped from eight in 1998 to 17 in 2021.
The West African country has prioritized urban development, mobility and improvements in people’s living conditions in its 2026‑2030 national development plan, a strategy the Bank says aligns with the report’s recommendations.
Open questions remain about how governments will balance growth and governance. How can they accelerate infrastructure provision while ensuring long‑term sustainability and transparency? What public‑private partnership models will be most effective in mobilizing the needed capital, and how will land‑governance reforms be enforced amid deep‑seated informal land tenure systems?
As the World Bank’s report highlights, meeting these challenges will be pivotal for transforming Africa’s rapidly expanding urban cores into engines that catalyze inclusive growth and meaningful employment for millions of young people.