Africa’s cities are set to grow by nearly a billion people by 2050. Strategic leadership and planning by government leaders now can make the difference between those cities being dynamic, healthy, climate-resilient hubs driving nationwide prosperity, or sprawling, polluted, congested sites of poverty and insecurity.

New research by the African Centre for Cities for the Coalition for Urban Transitions sets out the specific role African national governments can play to to guide the transformation of cities, support municipal authorities, and unlock major investment for infrastructure. It identifies key principles to shape the development of successful National Urban Policies in Africa and points to examples where such approaches have been successful.