Governance and living conditions in African cities

By Lacharrue Nouba

The urban growth of cities in Central Africa is due to the multiple wars that have ravaged countries in the sub-region for several decades, coupled with rural exodus. These factors have stimulated a massive movement of people seeking safety in cities. Today, this movement is a powerful factor in the spread of poverty and the proliferation of slums. New arrivals in cities cannot afford formal housing and see the outskirts and interstices of the city as their only alternative for access to housing. Lack of access to decent housing has characterized the lives of the majority of Central African city dwellers since independence in the early 1960s, representing more than half a century of inaction. Poor governance has only exacerbated the situation of impoverished city dwellers. Housing conditions are particularly poor in all the capitals of the sub-region, with poor governance having a negative impact on the four criteria for decent housing: quantity, quality, location in areas suitable for settlement, and cost.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 6209788025
• ISBN13: 9786209788024
• Release Date: March 2026
• Publisher: Our Knowledge Publishing
• Length: 80 Pages
• Weight: 0.26 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.2" x 6.0" x 9.0"