Background and Rationale

African cities are at a crossroads. Over 700 million Africans already live in urban areas. Cities are experiencing unprecedented demographic growth, with urban populations increasing at an average rate of 3.5% per year. By 2050, the population of the African continent is expected to rise from 1.5 to 2.5 billion residents: 80% of this population growth will be in cities.

African cities are central to the continent’s economic and social future. Yet, they face profound challenges, from climate vulnerability and infrastructural deficits to sprawling informality and deep-seated inequalities. Traditional models of urban governance, often rooted in colonial legacies and centralized control, are proving inadequate to address these complex, interconnected issues.

The pursuit of sustainable and equitable urban futures in Africa is therefore characterized by a fundamental governance dilemma. On one hand, there is an urgent need for innovative, effective, and responsive governance. On the other, urban authority is often fragmented, contested, and dispersed among a wide array of state and non-state actors. This creates a dynamic and contested process of change, where the reconfiguration of power and the emergence of new institutional forms are constantly negotiated.

This call for papers seeks to move beyond simplistic narratives of “state failure” and instead investigate the complex, often hybrid, realities of how African cities are actually governed. We are interested in the unfolding interaction between structural constraints and active, on-the-ground processes of institutional innovation.

Objectives of the Collection

This proposed journal special issue aims to:

• Provide a nuanced and contemporary understanding of the power dynamics shaping African cities.
• Document and critically analyze emerging forms of institutional innovation and agency.
• Foster a dialogue between theoretical frameworks (e.g., urban political ecology, post-colonial urbanism, assemblage theory) and grounded empirical research.
• Identify pathways for building more inclusive, accountable, and effective urban governance systems.

Thematic Focus

We invite theoretical, empirical, and policy-oriented contributions that explore the following sub-themes:

1. Power Dynamics, Non-state actors and Hybrid Governance

Shifting authority among state, traditional, private, and civil society actors.

The influence of transnational networks and global capital on urban agendas.

Case studies of collaboration and co-optation in hybrid governance models.

2. Youth, Gender and Citizen Agency

The growing role of CBOs, faith-based groups, and social movements in service delivery and security.

Gendered and youth-led agency in claiming urban rights and shaping space.

The private sector’s role in service provision and its accountability implications.

3. Institutional and Digital Innovation

Novel mechanisms for service delivery, land management, and revenue collection.

The dual potential of digitalization and smart city tech for participation versus exclusion.

Experiments in co-production, participatory budgeting, and multi-stakeholder forums.

4. Climate Resilience and Environmental Justice

Governance of climate adaptation in informal settlements and coastal cities.

The politics of disaster management and post-disaster resettlement.

How governance structures produce or mitigate unequal climate vulnerability.

5. Land Conflicts and Financialisation

The commodification of land by global and domestic elites and its impact on displacement.

The clash between customary and statutory land tenure systems.

Conflict resolution and legal pluralism in urban land governance.

6. Metropolitan Coordination and Multi-level Governance

Governing beyond city limits: addressing fragmentation in decentralised or expanding urban regions.

The challenges of overlapping jurisdictions and conflicting mandates.

The reality of unfunded mandates and ineffective decentralization.

7. Infrastructure Governance and Everyday Adaptations

The governance of “pirate” or DIY infrastructure (e.g., off-grid solar, water tankers).

Prepaid service models and the shifting of risk from the state to the citizen.

How informal service provision challenges the state’s role and responsibility.

Submission Guidelines

We welcome abstracts of approximately 300 words, along with a brief biographical note (150 words). Full papers should be original, unpublished works.

Abstract Deadline: 30 January 2026

Notification of Acceptance: 15 February 2026

Full Paper Deadline: 30 July 2026

Please submit abstracts and direct inquiries to: [email protected]

This call invites scholars from urban studies, geography, political science, anthropology, public administration, and related fields to contribute to a critical and timely conversation on Governing Africa’s Urban Future.

About the Round Table Journal

Calls for papers