In brief
The World Bank’s latest report says Africa’s cities are swelling—from 170 million in 1975 to 913 million in 2025—with 15 million youth entering the labor market each year. To turn this trend into economic firepower, the bank urges improved urban planning, infrastructure spending and private‑sector financing, warning that productivity remains low and many jobs are informal. Some countries, like Cote d’Ivoire, have already rolled out plans to boost mobility and living conditions.
On Oct. 30, 2026 the World Bank released a report urging sub‑Saharan African governments to turn the region’s rapid urbanisation into a driver of growth and jobs. The study titled "Africa’s Urban Awakening: Catalyzing Economic Growth and Job Creation" shows that the urban population grew from 170 million in 1975 to about 913 million in 2025 and could reach 1.7 billion by 2050.
Each year about 15 million young people enter the African labour market. With the rising number of cities and workers, the report says it is essential to shift more people into productive, higher‑paying employment. Currently many jobs are informal and poorly paid, and incomes have grown slowly.
The World Bank recommends several steps. First, planners should better manage city expansion and invest in transport and other public infrastructure. Second, stronger regulatory frameworks and land‑governance rules can make it easier for businesses to operate and create jobs. Third, the bank wants to see more private capital flow into urban facilities and services.
Marie‑Chantal Uwanyiligira, division director for Cote d’Ivoire, Benin, Guinea and Togo, said in the report:
"Productivity gains remain limited, incomes have grown slowly, and too many jobs remain informal and poorly paid."
In Cote d’Ivoire, official data last year recorded 17.84 million urban residents out of a total population of about 32.8 million. The number of localities with more than 100,000 people rose from eight in 1998 to 17 in 2021. The country’s 2026‑2030 national development plan prioritises mobility, urban development and better living conditions, aiming to turn rapid city growth into real opportunities for its citizens.