Despite the population and spatial growth, many cities are defined by inadequate planning, rapid urbanisation, and deteriorating transport infrastructure and services. In most sub-Saharan African countries, modes of urban mobility are highly dependent on income. Transport options are limited. Before the Europeans’s effective occupation of Africa, the ethnic fragments that made up the continent existed politically independent of each other, although this may not be said of the economic aspect. This is because of the evidence of the predominance of economic activities in pre-colonial intergroup relations. These trade activities were made possible because of a number of infrastructural factors. One was the natural infrastructure, which was seen in the geographical setting. For example, the mountains of far eastern Nigeria that entered Cameroon and the Lake Chad, which appeared to be natural barriers on the eastern side, had not prevented human movement across them.
By the time the first European explorers arrived in Africa in the 1400s, Africans had domesticated some animals to help address the growing need of moving people, goods, and services over land. At the same time, a number of innovations, such as the construction of rafts and canoes capable of providing water-based transportation services, had been made. Thus, the transport infrastructure in Africa at the time consisted largely, but not exclusively, of tracks for pedestrian and animal traffic and natural navigable waterways. Some evidence suggests that a number of the ancient empires and city-states of the region had developed a system of well-aligned roads and streets, as opposed to meandering footpaths. There were highly developed transport networks in many parts of Africa in precolonial times, and, during the colonial era that followed, these networks were restructured to penetrate into the interior from the seaports and, in the main, to serve the commercial and administrative needs of the colonial powers. Their fragmentation, which led to interregional links being but thinly developed, resulted from the juxtaposition of varied and difficult terrains, the economic artificiality of certain national frontiers, the lack of a developed intra-African trade, and the strong orientation of commodity trade with the administering countries.
All of this was further complicated by the existence of vast unpopulated areas lying between the main centers. Besides, it is revealed that colonial authorities did the most to develop these systems. However, because the systems were designed to facilitate the extraction and transmission of products from the continent to the colonial master nations, they are deemed incapable of enhancing the active participation of African countries in the globalisation process. Currently, Africa is suffering from a major urban infrastructure gap. Annual national public spending on infrastructure is exceedingly low: an average of 2% of GDP in 2009-2015, compared to 5.2% in India and 8.8% in China. Not surprisingly, African cities often succumb to fragility. Sixty percent of all urbanites live in overcrowded and underserviced slums. Around 25-45% walk to work due to lack of affordable transport. With turbourbanization, these awful conditions could easily deteriorate. For instance, since 1999, Lagos has attracted international attention not for its chaos but instead as a possible model of effective urban transformation and city governance in Africa. Buoyant views of Lagos’ transformation conceal a rising tide of vulnerable and increasingly disaffected labour that presents more of a threat than an opportunity.
As of 2018, there were 55 megacities on the African continent with populations of over 1 million people. Six of these megacities (Nairobi, Kinshasa/Brazzaville, Lagos/Ibadan, Abidjan/Dakar) have populations between 2 and 5 million persons; 11 megacities have populations between 500 000 and 1 000 000 people; 25 megacities have populations between 100 000 and 500 000 people; while 28 other cities have populations less than 100 000 residents each—all considered smaller urban centres or townships within larger metropolitan areas. Experts say public transport has the potential of attracting demand from car passengers and is also, in many cities where conventional buses are used, a sector where emissions can be cut. Many cities across the region are implementing new rapid-transit projects, such as bus rapid transit (BRT) and light rail transit (LRT). Africa has roughly 350 km of BRT, LRT, and metro across the entire continent, with 70% of this built since 2007. Also, BRT corridors are already up and running in Dar es Salaam, Lagos, and in the South African cities of Cape Town, George, Johannesburg, and Pretoria. Another ten are currently under planning or construction all around Africa. As of 2022, the World Bank is providing financial or technical assistance to eight of these projects, including Abidjan, Dakar, Dar es Salaam (phases 3 & 4), Douala, Kampala, Kumasi, Maputo, and Ouagadougou.
While roads are crucial, railways constitute an equally vital component of the broader infrastructure landscape. They provide a considerable advantage over roads for cargo transport and could catalyse trans-African trade. In the East African Railway Masterplan, Kenya’s Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) was envisaged to go all the way to Kisangani in the DRC. As funding to extend the line to Kampala in Uganda finally seems to be coming through, the economic value of this flagship piece of infrastructure is about to increase significantly. In September 2015, Addis Ababa inaugurated Sub-Saharan Africa’s first light rail train (LRT). The LRT, an inner-city tram, can carry up to 60,000 people per hour, and after 10 months of operation, ridership has reached 15,000 passengers per hour in each direction. The train is powered by Ethiopia’s power grid, which is fuelled almost exclusively by hydropower, geothermal, and wind power.
Harmoniously, the Abuja Rail Mass Transit, commonly known as Abuja Light Rail, is a new light rail network being developed in Abuja, the capital city of Nigeria. It is the first light rail system being developed in Western Africa and the second such system in sub-Saharan Africa (after Addis Ababa Light Rail). The Abuja light rail mass transit project consists of six lots (6 lots) covering a distance of appropriately 285 km. The first phase of the project connects the city centre to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, stopping at the standard gauge railway station in Idu. Launched on 12 July 2018, it opened for public passengers the following week. In July 2024, Tanzania launched its first electric train, which transported 1,400 passengers from the coastal city of Dar es Salaam to Morogoro in the west on its maiden journey, covering a 300-kilometre (186-mile) distance. Also featuring state-of-the-art electric and signalling systems, the project—celebrated as Eastern Africa’s first electric standard-gauge railway—has been completed, per Albawaba News.
The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) indicated that the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) will boost intra-African trade by around 40%, with substantial benefits to the transport sectors. Moreover, economic observers noted that from efficient road networks and modern rail systems to well-performing port facilities and streamlined air transportation, transport, and logistics are the catalyst for sustainable cross-border exchange and economic development and have a pivotal role to play in the success of the AfCFTA. The estimates on ‘Implications of the African Continental Free Trade Area for Demand for Transport, Infrastructure, and Services’, released by ECA at the Fifth African Business Forum on February 7, 2022, indicate that with AfCFTA in absolute terms, over 25 percent of intra-African trade gains in services would go to transport alone, and nearly 40 percent of the increase in Africa’s service production would be in transport. According to the research findings, AfCFTA requires 1,844,000 trucks for bulk cargo and 248,000 trucks for container cargo by 2030. This increases to 1,945,000 and 268,000 trucks respectively if planned infrastructure projects are also implemented. The largest demand for trucks to support AfCFTA is within West Africa (39 percent); demand from West to Southern Africa is 19.8 percent and from Southern Africa to Western Africa by 9.9 percent.
The Transport Inequalities Syndrome in Sub-Saharan Africa
Transport inequality—the unequal distribution of travel resources such as cars or public transport—reinforces socio-economic divides while impacting livelihoods and safety, transport researchers say. Across Africa, informal means of transportation dominate. These include trekking and the use of bicycles, motorcycles, and public buses. Most of these transport mediums are often privately owned or belong to a localised (often poorly regulated) association, as in the case of public buses. Transportation in countries across Africa has been often subpar, plagued with irregular fees and non-compliance with road and safety regulations, as well as being unpredictable, overloaded, and scarce or nonexistent. This is in sharp contrast to what is obtainable in the developed Western world.
Likewise, there are socio-economic differences in how transit is used in African cities, as elsewhere globally. More than 75 percent of total daily trips made by Africa’s poor are by walking, compared to 45 percent by the more affluent. Despite the large percentage of the population relying on non-motorised transport, pedestrian and bike-friendly city infrastructure is uncommon or in a poor state. When the poor use motorised transport, they often rely on communal or motorcycle taxis. In the six countries that make up around 70 percent of sub-Saharan Africa’s annual vehicle sales and 45 percent of the region’s population (South Africa, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Ethiopia, and Nigeria), the vehicle parc is expected to grow from 25 million vehicles today to an estimated 58 million by 2040, driven by urbanisation and rising incomes. As its vehicle parc grows, the challenge for sub-Saharan Africa will be to push for more sustainable mobility and avoid the risk of becoming the dumping ground for the world’s unwanted used ICE vehicles.
Missing or damaged infrastructure, like sidewalks and cycle routes, disproportionately affects low-income transport users, such as women, children, older people, and those with disabilities, who cannot afford private or motorised transport. For instance, women and girls with fewer financial resources who depend more on walking are at greater risk of serious sexual harassment and assault. At the same time, older people and those with disabilities require high-quality paving and space from vehicles to aid mobility. On top of all this, the risk of heatstroke and injury caused by high temperatures and heavy rainfall due to climate change while getting around by walking and cycling becomes a dangerous endeavour.
Failure to prioritise sustainable urban mobility could lock African cities into patterns that threaten long-term socio-economic development and climate resilience. The majority of people affected are the most vulnerable, lower income groups, as well as people living with disabilities. As urban expansion outpaces formal planning, leaving gaps in service delivery and infrastructure, there needs to be a rethink of the models that support mobility in cities for all. A fundamental shift is required that looks beyond improving transport infrastructure. It’s about reimagining how cities connect residential and non-residential areas while prioritising people-centric, low-carbon mobility solutions.
Revolutionising Urban Mobility in African Cities: A Post-Pandemic Shift
Before COVID-19, African cities were grappling with rising urban populations and inadequate transport infrastructure. While the pandemic has exposed these vulnerabilities, regional governments are seizing the opportunity to build smarter and more resilient cities. Beyond excluding the non-motorised majority, such designs bode poorly for public health. In fact, a study in East Africa depicts the unhealthy levels of urban air quality in Addis Ababa, Kampala, and Nairobi, largely due to vehicular emissions. The new normal occasioned by the Corona Virus Pandemic presents a golden opportunity to rebuild better, greener, and more sustainable, away from the informalities and the associated complexities that individuals, families, cities, and nations of Africa are currently faced with.
Technology is playing a pivotal role in improving connectivity and accessibility in African transportation. Mobile applications and ride-hailing platforms, such as Uber and Bolt, are gaining popularity, providing convenient and reliable transportation options for urban dwellers. Additionally, initiatives like bike-sharing programs and electric vehicle networks are expanding, promoting sustainable and accessible transportation alternatives. The number of unique mobile subscribers in Africa has been rising and is expected to reach 54% by 2030. Over the past five years, mobile internet connectivity has also improved, with connected users in Sub-Saharan Africa increasing from 17% to 22%. Unsurprisingly, internet use is higher in urban areas than rural areas, and the gap is wide, with 50% of urban residents online compared to just 15% of rural dwellers. These trends will allow many organisations to provide digital solutions to African residents. Digital solutions such as big data analytics, IoT, GIS tracking, and mobile payments offer unique opportunities to tackle some of the challenges mentioned here. These solutions ensure that transport services are affordable, effective, reliable, and safe for users. They also act as a bridge to the formalisation of informal services.
As advanced mobility services and technologies have penetrated cities, public officials at the city, regional, and national levels have responded by establishing an array of new regulations. These regulations reflect local priorities and stakeholder influences, which have not always favoured integrated mobility. National or state-level regulations, such as tax breaks and incentives for EVs, have given a boost to integrated mobility in many cities, but local regulations, such as traffic rules that reserve bus-only lanes on city streets, could be even more consequential. To capture the benefits of integrated mobility, governments may want to consider creating regulations that encourage consumer-friendly developments while also promoting larger public goals, such as clean air and reduced congestion.
Gearing up for a Better Transport System in Sub-Saharan Africa
Whereas colonial authorities developed and used roads, ports, and other transport facilities to broadcast authority and consolidate power in colonial Africa, postcolonial authorities must create and employ such facilities to intensify their participation in the global market place. It is recognised that urban mobility policies require a holistic view of urban transport issues. It is also important to address core constraints to an effective transport system to respond to the rapidly urbanising sub-Saharan countries. Such integrated policies will require overcoming issues such as severe unemployment, poverty, corruption, and governance. Enhancing education, awareness-raising, safety, and security will play an important role. For those in a position to steer change, appropriate urban planning and policy interventions require vision and political will as well as technical know-how by different professionals with the mandate to enforce transport and mobility policies and laws.
A study proposes that the move to integrate a range of urban mobility options is worth the effort and will result in more socially, economically, and environmentally sustainable and inclusive cities. Additionally, observers opined that countries should mobilise resources for the transport sector given its importance to national economies; stabilise transport services and construction prices; implement priority PIDA projects to optimise benefits of AfCFTA; implement the Inter-Governmental Agreement on the Trans-African Highways; finance Road Safety; sign the solemn commitment to the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM); fully implement the Yamoussoukro Decision on the liberalisation of air transport; sign and ratify the Luxembourg Rail Protocol to attract private sector investment in rolling stock; and support the civil aviation industry.
As the continent of Africa changes, so too does its public transportation. Although there is much work to be done in this sector, there are also many encouraging signs. With greater investment from the African government and a growing interest in sustainable solutions, it is likely that this will be one of the fastest-developing subsectors of the air travel industry on the continent moving forward. As an added benefit, increased outside investment will come more willingly for these countries to embrace European and American safety measures. This type of change should improve both the customer experience at major airports as well as ease the minds of travellers who may have been put off from taking their business deeper into Africa up until this point.
According to experts, this means that we must set new agendas and repackage existing agendas to reflect the new thinking that efficient, organised public transport, cycling, and walking hold the future of mobility. This will make our mobility system best practices, our cities competitive, and compliant with the targets of the Sustainable Development Goals, the UN Decade of Action on Road Safety II, and the New Urban Agenda. That means we must invest, diversify, and transform urban mobility towards sustainable systems that are obviously better for the health and socio-economic wellbeing of the people, the cities, and the countries of Africa. It is noteworthy that there are huge efforts, including policy changes and investments in infrastructure and systems in a few cities in Africa, of which the participants are proud.
