NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 9 — Kenya is hosting the Second Africa Urban Forum (AUF2) in Nairobi, as leaders across the continent call for urgent action to address rapid urbanisation and its growing challenges.
The forum, which began Wednesday and is convened by the African Union, is being held at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre under the theme “Adequate Housing for All: Advancing Socio-economic and Environmental Transformation towards the Realization of Agenda 2063.”
It has brought together policymakers, city officials, development partners, private sector representatives, and international experts to discuss practical and scalable solutions for Africa’s rapidly expanding cities.
Opening the forum, Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, Musalia Mudavadi, called for a decisive shift from dialogue to implementation.
“The time has come to move from conversation to execution,” Mudavadi said, urging governments and stakeholders to prioritise coordinated urban planning anchored on bankable, long-term projects.
Swelling urban population
He warned that Africa’s urban population is projected to double from about 700 million to 1.4 billion by 2050, cautioning that poorly managed growth could deepen housing shortages, strain public services, worsen environmental degradation, and increase climate risks.
Mudavadi stressed the need for integrated approaches that align urban planning with infrastructure development, climate resilience, and technology, while also calling for innovative financing models to bridge funding gaps.
“Limited fiscal space and constrained access to long-term financing continue to impede progress across many African countries,” he noted.
Drawing on Kenya’s experience, Mudavadi highlighted the government’s Affordable Housing Programme as an example of the bold policy choices required to drive structural transformation and long-term socio-economic stability.
Johnson Sakaja, Governor of Nairobi, echoed the call for practical solutions, urging stakeholders to adopt interventions that respond to the realities of fast-growing cities and deliver measurable impact for urban residents.
The forum is expected to shape policy direction and partnerships aimed at building more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable urban centres across Africa.
