In brief
The World Bank’s latest report, released Thursday, urges sub‑Saharan African countries to channel the region’s swift urbanisation into economic growth and job creation. It highlights that urban populations rose from 170 million in 1975 to 913 million in 2025, and projects 1.7 billion by 2050 while stressing the need for better urban planning, infrastructure investment and private‑sector mobilisation. The bank also notes current productivity gaps and the high prevalence of informal employment.
The World Bank has called on sub‑Saharan African governments to turn the region’s rapid urbanisation into a powerful engine of economic growth and job creation, a report released on Thursday.
The report, titled "Africa's Urban Awakening: Catalyzing Economic Growth and Job Creation," states that the urban population grew from 170 million in 1975 to 913 million in 2025 and is projected to reach 1.7 billion by 2050. It estimates that some 15 million young people enter the labour market each year, emphasising the need for more productive, higher‑paying employment.
The World Bank recommends stronger urban planning, targeted investment in infrastructure and transport, and clearer land‑ownership and regulatory frameworks. It also urges mobilisation of private capital to finance urban facilities and services.
Marie‑Chantal Uwanyiligira, World Bank division director for Côte d’Ivoire, Benin, Guinea and Togo, added:
In the region, productivity gains remain limited, incomes have grown slowly, and too many jobs remain informal and poorly paid.
In Côte d’Ivoire, official data showed 17.84 million urban residents out of a total population of 32.8 million last year, and the number of localities with more than 100,000 inhabitants rose from eight in 1998 to 17 in 2021. The government has prioritised urban development, mobility and living‑condition improvements in its 2026‑2030 national development plan.