Africa is experiencing rapid population growth, and is therefore projected to have a significant increase in its share of the global population. With this comes inevitable urban expansion, with many of the continent’s cities getting bigger. On Africa’s west coast, the 600-kilometre stretch between Abidjan, the Ivory Coast and Lagos, in Nigeria, is rapidly growing.
So much so that it is thought that, by 2100, a combination of nine along the coast will be the most densely populated settlement on earth, with up to 500million people, University College London (UCL) has suggested. Referred to as the “Abidjan-Lagos Corridor”, a major contributor to the region’s economic output, the area is envisioned as a vast, densely populated region stretching across multiple countries – Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin, and Nigeria.
Even though the built-up areas not yet physically merged, the corridor is certainly experiencing rapid urbanisation and economic integration.
Those in the know emphasise that the total population is projected to be 50 million by 2035.
A key driver of the expansion is the planned Abidjan-Lagos Corridor Highway, a six-lane road aimed at improving trade and transportation.
The Africa Investment Forum says this infrastructure project will connect major economic hubs, including Abidjan, Takoradi, Accra, Lomé, Cotonou, Porto-Novo, and Lagos.
These areas are estimated to have 173 million urban residents by 2050.
The organisation adds that the scheme “gained momentum at the 2022 Africa Investment Forum Market Days, where it secured $15.6billion in investment interest”.
At the time, the Senior Director of the AIF, Chinelo Anohu, said: “This project has been long overdue, and what we are doing at the AIF is pushing it forward to ensure we accomplish the project’s implementation period in a timely manner.
“We have a two to three year ambition to make sure the project gets off the ground, but there’s lots of work to be done in between. We are currently working to ensure that the milestones are met, and it’s not going to be an overnight project.”
In 2024, work was cited to start in 2026 on the highway, with its completion for 2030.
In the corridor overall, there has reportedly been increased trade and reduced border crossing barriers, which have fuelled the potential for regional economic development.
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
