Africa’s Population Boom Sparks Push for Charter Cities

Urban developers and policymakers around the world are backing the creation of new cities in Africa as a response to the continent’s soaring population and growing urban pressures.

At the New Cities Summit held in Nairobi last week, delegates acknowledged that Africa is the only continent projected to undergo significant population growth this century.

Africa’s population is projected to grow by 2.2 billion between 2030 and 2100, according to a 2023 report by Mo Ibrahim Foundation.

Africans will account for 25 per cent of the world’s working population by mid-century — a proportion that will rise to more than 40 per cent by the end of the century.

This demographic shift, experts say, requires urgent and innovative planning.

Developers and government officials are increasingly turning to charter cities—large-scale, investment-ready urban centres with independent governance frameworks—as a promising solution to absorb growth and drive inclusive development.

“Charter cities are new cities with better laws. Governance is essential—it determines whether people live in prosperity or poverty. Bringing key stakeholders together to share knowledge and best practices will accelerate the success of charter cities across the continent,” said Mark Lutter, Executive Director of the Charter Cities Institute.

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Unlike the usual Special Economic Zones, charter cities are set up with tailored legal and regulatory frameworks, covering over 10 square kilometers.

They aim to draw in investments, ignite innovation, and provide lasting solutions to issues like housing, unemployment, and infrastructure.

During the summit, participants urged African governments and international allies to focus on targeted investments, offer technical assistance, and implement regulatory changes to speed up this urban transformation.

Their vision is to rethink how we build cities in a way that fosters sustainable economic growth and promotes social inclusion.

Kenya is taking steps in that direction. Delivering a keynote on behalf of Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome, Secretary for Urban and Metropolitan Development Byron Buyu said the government is investing heavily in urban regeneration and infrastructure development.

“We are eager to deepen our collaboration with Charter Cities Institute and explore opportunities to advance capacity-building initiatives and pilot projects aligned with Kenya’s urban development priorities and scalable across Africa.”

A new partnership between Kenya’s Ministry of Lands and the Charter Cities Institute aims to develop resilient secondary cities, aligned with Vision 2030. The focus includes decentralised governance, climate resilience, and improved legal frameworks.

The summit also hosted the Cities Catapult Showcase, spotlighting ambitious projects like climate-smart industrial zones, creative economy hubs, and healthcare innovation centres. Selected projects will receive early-stage support, including seed capital, technical expertise, and access to global investment networks.

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