Mobility, Safety, and Urban-Environmental Management Challenges in Rapidly Urbanizing Africa

Abstract

Cities in developing countries are fast growing in human population and spatial expansion. This unprecedented phenomenon will continue in large parts of Sub-Saharan Africa. Although present attention is largely on challenges of human survival, environment and ecological sustainability, more effort needs to be focused on inter and intra -city resilience, human safety, conditions of the goods and services needed to secure sustainable development. Unlike post-industrial Europe and America, African cities seem to have, at the same time, all of rapid population growth, urban sprawl and rapid technological advancement ahead of deliberate planning at city and regional levels. The ensuing less coordinated developments has left many cities with inefficient urban transport that derails development within and between cities. The success of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) implementation in Lagos and Cairo have spurred many cities to set up plans to also adopt the schemes. This has called for the assessment of present and potential BRTs and other Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CAVs) for environmental and social resilience. Using primary and secondary data - physical observations, interviews, published literatures, satellite imageries, and government documents, this work assessed the nature and pace of public transportation provision in Nigeria by highlighting environmental and policy matters as many cities continue to search for sustainable urban mass transit. Findings shows that many cities have undertaken urban renewal activities aimed at road expansion and increased access; this development is welcomed by the people; the transport facilities are provided for different mass transits including CAVs; but many cities are yet to provide the vehicles for city transport, and there is non-inclusion of stakeholders. It is also observed that the planned urban mass transit systems have the advantage of enhancing city resilience through enforcement of physical development regulations that are presently less adhered to. Hence, the need to: mainstream other aspects of urban livelihood to the transport schemes to be people-oriented towards sustainable urban development; integrate wider consultations with stakeholders already engaged in urban transport business, in planning and management of the scheme at all levels.