# Africa's Urban Population Surges to 600 Million, Most in Informal Settlements

> Over 60% of Africa's 600 million urban dwellers live in informal settlements, as cities prepare for 700 million new residents by 2050.

By PrimaryBrief newsroom · Published 2026-10-20T19:35:05.823991Z
Canonical: https://primarybrief.com/article/africa-s-urban-population-surges-to-600-million-most-in-informal-settlements-43948050

Africa's urban population hit 600 million people in 2026, and more than 60% of these residents live in informal settlements lacking basic services [13][14]. This growth means an estimated 700 million new urban residents will join Africa's cities by 2050, bringing the total to 1.4 billion [6][14].

This rapid, unplanned urban expansion poses significant challenges for infrastructure, housing, and governance, directly affecting the well-being of millions of people [6][11]. The conditions in these informal settlements impact the continent's development and stability.

## What the records show

Africa is the fastest urbanizing continent [1][7]. Its urban population is projected to increase by tens of millions annually [1][7]. The urban share of Africa's population grew from 19% to 39% over the last 50 years, adding more than 360 million new city dwellers [2]. Over 60% of Africa's urban population lives in informal settlements [13]. In 2001, 72% of the urban population in Sub-Saharan Africa lived in slums [4]. By 2050, 80% of Africa's demographic growth will occur in urban areas, increasing the urbanization level to 64% [6]. Nigeria, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo are expected to account for over one-third of Africa's total urban population by 2050 [6].

## The timeline

Urbanization in Africa intensified after 1960, driven by the independence of many African nations [7]. Between 2000 and 2020, urban populations grew significantly; for example, Nigeria's urban population rose from 35% to 52% [7]. By 2030, urban populations are projected to increase by an additional 350 million people, with 58% of Africans living in cities [2]. Africa's urban population is forecast to reach nearly 1 billion by 2035, up from about 650 million in 2023 [9][10]. The Economist Intelligence Unit reported in August 2024 that six African cities—Cairo, Kinshasa, Lagos, Greater Johannesburg, Luanda, and Dar es Salaam—will have populations exceeding 10 million by 2035 [9][10][12]. By 2050, the continent's urban population is set to reach 1.4 billion [6][8][14].

## What changed and for whom

Africa has transitioned from predominantly rural societies to the world's fastest-urbanizing continent [7][8]. This expansion creates demands for infrastructure, housing, environmental sustainability, and governance [6][11]. As cities grow and incomes increase, there is a greater need for better housing, services, and digital technologies [14]. The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) and UN-Habitat signed a Memorandum of Understanding in August 2025 to promote sustainable urban transformation [3]. This agreement aims to provide technical assistance, policy support, and capacity building for local governments in areas such as urban governance, housing, municipal finance, and infrastructure development [3].

## What the subject has said publicly

Akinwumi Adesina, President of the AfDB Group, stated in August 2025 that "cities are engines of growth, and we must mobilize more private capital for their development, which will require a different approach from traditional public funding" [3]. Anacláudia Rossbach, Executive Director of UN-Habitat, emphasized in August 2025 that "urbanization in Africa can either be a driver of prosperity or a catalyst for worsening poverty and exclusion" [3]. She also expressed hope that cities could become "engines of resilience, equity, and climate action" through renewed collaboration with the AfDB [3].

## What we could not confirm

We could not confirm the exact number of specific informal settlements across all African cities or comprehensive, continent-wide government policies currently being implemented to upgrade these settlements beyond general initiatives. Specific details on the funding mechanisms for mobilizing private capital for urban development, as suggested by the AfDB, were not detailed in the provided records.

## Evidence cited
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15. africainfact.com (africainfact.com) — https://africainfact.com/
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17. UrbanShift Webinar: Addressing Informal Settlements in Africa | UrbanShift (shiftcities.org) — https://shiftcities.org/
18. Population living in slums (% of urban population) - Sub-Saharan Africa (worldbank.org) — https://worldbank.org/
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