Author: Oforiwaa Pee Agyei-Boakye

Public transportation really isn’t what you think it is in Africa, given that most governments don’t allocate major budgets to public transportation in Africa. This means that, in most countries, while there are a few bus, train or taxi companies available, they all tend to be informalized. Read along to find out more about what these are.

Africa is unique in that it has some of the least developed public transport systems in the world, while also being one of the fastest urbanizing continents. Faced with this challenge, African countries have been slow to update their transportation infrastructure. While many cities are growing rapidly and densely, transport systems are not keeping pace.

In recent times African cities have been using BRTs to formalize their informal transport economy. Cities in South Africa, Nigeria, Tanzania, Ghana and Morocco have pursued BRT as a transport intervention. BRTs are considered sustainable forms of transportation. But are BRTs the solution to Africa’s transport woes?

Have you ever wondered why there are restricted modes of transportation in Africa? Or even why it is easier to travel by air from most African countries to Europe even though there are limited or non-existent interregional linkages in Africa? Also, why does traveling from one African country to another often entail transiting through a European city?

Levels of walking and cycling have been declining in Africa’s major cities. Organisations such as UN HABITAT encouraging African cities to promote cleaner, sustainable forms of transport through walking and cycling. It is uncertain if this move is warranted. Let’s discuss cycling and walking in African Cities.