They have been called the "worst cities in the world", all the while providing an other-worldly allure that draws outsiders in and changes them forever. Africa’s dynamic cities are full of opportunity, and almost as many challenges.Some are tempted to look to the cities of the northern hemisphere for a how-to manual of solutions for urbanisation and development. But Nico Venter, from engineering conglomerate Arup, says development strategies must consider the fact that developing-world cities have their own complexities and circumstances that require a different approach.A UN report on population prospects in 2015 estimated that Africa’s population will double to 2bn by 2050, and then again in 2100 to 4bn. It suggests that 4bn of the world’s 11bn people will live on the African continent by that date .Venter, who heads the recently formed Cities unit at Arup Southern Africa, has started a multiphase study looking at challenges facing five rapidly changing and growing African cities:...
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