In brief
The World Bank released a report urging sub‑Saharan African countries to translate growing urban populations into economic growth and employment. It highlights stark urban population increases, the need for more productive jobs for millions of youth, and recommends better urban planning, infrastructure investment, and private capital mobilisation. Marie‑Chantal Uwanyiligira criticised limited productivity gains and slow income growth in the region.
The World Bank yesterday issued a report calling on sub‑Saharan African governments to turn the region’s rapid urbanisation into a decisive engine for economic growth and job creation. The bank’s study, titled Africa's Urban Awakening: Catalyzing Economic Growth and Job Creation, estimates the urban population rose from 170 million in 1975 to 913 million in 2025 and is projected to reach 1.7 billion by 2050. According to the report, about 15 million young people enter the labour market each year, stressing the urgent need for more productive, better‑paid employment.
The report argues that sustained population growth demands an expansion of jobs and access to formal, well‑paid work for youth. It cites the slow rise in income levels and the prevalence of informal, low‑wage employment as serious constraints to growth.
Marie‑Chantal Uwanyiligira, the World Bank’s division director for Cote d’Ivoire, Benin, Guinea and Togo, warned that the region’s productivity gains remain limited, incomes have grown slowly, and too many jobs remain informal and poorly paid.
"Productivity gains remain limited, incomes have grown slowly, and too many jobs remain informal and poorly paid," said Uwanyiligira.
In Cote d’Ivoire, official statistics revealed 17.84 million urban residents out of an estimated total population of 32.8 million last year. The number of localities with more than 100,000 inhabitants rose from eight in 1998 to 17 in 2021, reflecting accelerated urban expansion.
The World Bank’s recommendations include better planning for urban expansion, targeted investment in infrastructure and transport, stronger regulatory frameworks and land governance, and increased mobilisation of private capital to finance urban facilities and services. It added that mobilising private capital could be key to delivering the necessary infrastructure for future growth.
The report says that building resilient, well‑planned urban systems can unlock new opportunities in manufacturing, services, and technology, thereby creating durable employment for a rapidly expanding workforce. It also calls for a coordinated effort between public authorities, the private sector, and communities to design and implement urban projects that cater to the growing demand for productive jobs.
Officials in the West African country have highlighted urban development, mobility and quality‑of‑life improvements in its 2026‑2030 national development plan. The World Bank stresses that effective implementation of such plans will be critical to capitalise on the demographic momentum and sustain long‑term growth.
While the World Bank’s analysis underscores the economic potential of Africa’s urbanisation, it also highlights the challenges of converting demographic shifts into broad‑based employment. The report concludes that if the region can harness its urban growth through targeted planning, investment and policy reforms, it stands to achieve sustainable development and a more robust labour market for its youth.