Building just and sustainable cities

As Africa’s cities expand at an unprecedented pace, questions of land use, urbanization, and sustainable settlement are taking center stage. At the Conference on Land Policy in Africa (CLPA 2025), the Youth Initiative for Land in Africa (YILAA), in collaboration with Landesa and the Tanzania Land Alliance (TALA), hosted a thought-provoking side event titled “Land use-based challenges, urbanization and settlements in Africa and their sustainable solutions.”

The session, held at the United Nations Conference Centre in Addis Ababa, brought together land rights advocates, researchers, traditional leaders, and policymakers to explore the intersection of land governance, rapid urbanization, and social justice framed within the African Union’s 2025 theme, “Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations.”

A continent in transition

Africa is urbanizing faster than any other region in the world, with projections showing that by 2050, the continent’s urban population will triple to over 1.4 billion people. This demographic transformation, while a marker of progress, also poses immense challenges for land governance, food security, and equitable development.

He further stated that,

Unpacking the challenges

Speakers reflected on how unplanned urban growth, insecure land tenure, and weak governance structures have left millions vulnerable. In many African cities, informal settlements have become the default response to rapid population growth, yet residents often lack legal recognition or basic services.

Houedji emphasized that poorly planned urban expansion “encroaches on agricultural lands, forests, and wetlands, heightening exposure to floods, droughts, and heat stress.” He also underscored how women and youth, key drivers of Africa’s sustainability ecosystem, remain disproportionately excluded from access to land and housing.

Charting a way forward

The YILAA-led session outlined five key pathways to sustainable solutions:

Lessons from Tanzania

Drawing on lessons from Tanzania, the discussion highlighted how participatory land-use planning can prevent conflict and strengthen local governance. Experiences from Landesa and TALA illustrated that integrating women and youth in decision-making is not only a matter of rights but a catalyst for peace and development.

The event concluded with a strong call to action:

Towards a just urban future

The YILAA Tanzania side event at CLPA 2025 reinforced that Africa’s future depends on how it manages its land and urban growth. A just and sustainable urban future will require not only robust legal frameworks but also active collaboration among governments, civil society, and youth networks.

Through shared learning, partnerships, and inclusive advocacy, YILAA and its partners continue to push for a future where every African, especially women and young people, has secure access to land, dignified housing, and a voice in shaping the cities of tomorrow.