Editorial

Abstract

In 2007, the world reached a pivotal moment in the ongoing process of urbanization, with the global urban population surpassing the rural population for the first time. Africa is the only continent where this process has not yet been completed. According to UN projections, it is expected to occur no earlier than the second third of the 21st century. Africa, however, is very diverse in this regard: in some countries, the majority of the population has long been urban, while in others, most of the population are still living in rural areas.

“Anyone can define what a city is, except an urbanist”—this statement applies to Africa as well. The lack of consistent statistical criteria for defining cities and urban lifestyles makes it difficult to compare urban development indicators across countries. Nevertheless, using both national and international conceptual frameworks, the contributors to this special issue of R-Economy will examine the reasons behind the slow pace of urbanization in Africa and assess the role of the continent's cities in its socio-economic development.

In his paper, “Luxury or Necessity? The Dynamics of Urbanization in Sub-Saharan Africa,” Suleiman Onimisi Mamman employs long time-series data from 1996 to 2022 to statistically assess the significance of various factors and conditions influencing urban development in sub-Saharan African countries. Drawing on E. Lee's theory, the author concludes that migration from rural areas to cities in Africa is primarily driven by individuals’ desire to access a wider range of services than those available in rural areas, including both social services (such as education and healthcare) and those related to the services sector (like housing and utilities).

In their study “Digital education index in cities of Africa,” Victoria Akberdina and Maxim Vlasov assess the relationship between digital higher education as a key component of human capital and the urban and economic development of African countries. The findings did not support the initial hypothesis that the number of universities is directly related to the number of people with higher education and the proportion of digital technology users in cities. However, the study convincingly demonstrated that digital education serves as an effective mechanism for the formation and development of human capital.

Ruslan Dmitriev, Stanislav Gorokhov, and Maksim Agafoshin, in their paper “From the “isolated states” to the central place system(s): water supply of the cities in modern Libya,” examine the development of the water supply system for urban settlements and agricultural enterprises in the country through the lens of J.-G. von Thünen's theory of the isolated state and W. Christaller's central place theory. The authors conclude that the “Great Man-Made River” system in Libya, in its current form, demonstrates a relatively high degree of spatial resilience. They argue that the decision made by M. Gaddafi's government to integrate previously separate water supply systems for urban areas was a sensible one.

In the paper “Analyzing the District Performance Assessment Tool in Local Governments in Ghana,” John V. Mensah, Anthony E. Aikins, and David W. Essaw shift the focus from the population as the recipient of services to local government representatives as the providers. Through a qualitative analysis of survey data from the Central Region of Ghana, the authors show that enhancing the quality of services delivered at the local community level is achievable only through a comprehensive methodological approach.

James O. Abugu, Fidelis U. Amahi, Johnson I. Okoh, Oyakhiromhe B. Agbadua, Emmanuel S. Udo, and Ifeanyi Onyemere in their paper “Income-level analysis of money demand stability in Sub-Saharan Africa using cross-sectional ARDL” use data from 1999 to 2023 to assess the economic stability of countries in this region. The authors conclude that on the regional level, there is a need for a unified monetary policy as well as for a single currency to stimulate economic growth and reduce regional disparities.

In modern Western cities, disparities are largely mitigated—or, in theory, should be—creating unique “melting pots.” In contrast, the urban environment in Eastern cities does not inherently “free”[1] its residents. Those who migrate from rural areas often retain their positions within existing ethnic and clan structures at both local and regional levels, as well as significant aspects of rural life. This dynamic contributes to the phenomenon of false urbanization and other negative accompanying processes.

In many respects, Eastern cities evolve according to principles that are not always comparable to those of Western cities. Given this context, the experiences of African countries in regulating urban processes are particularly noteworthy. The contibutors to this special issue invite interested colleagues to engage in this important discussion.

[1] There is a medieval German proverb Stadtluft macht frei, meaning "The air of the city makes one free."