Rapid urbanization and climate change in many African cities create disaster vulnerabilities. With Africa's urban population expected to triple by 2050, and cities experiencing an increase in flood events, without accurate maps and data that guide decision making, it is difficult for city planners to manage floods, manage infrastructure, or coordinate emergency responses. Geospatial data, which provide detailed and reliable information about the spatial characteristics of urban environments and are tied to specific locations, form the backbone of urban planning and disaster management. However, many African cities still do not use maps for decision-making, or the maps they use are outdated or expensive to produce using traditional methods.
The disconnect between geospatial data collection and decision-making in African urban planning reflects deeper systemic challenges. African cities fundamentally lack integrated spatial strategies to guide their development, while critical knowledge gaps exist where urban planning is commonly blamed for its failure to exert a positive influence on managing climate change impacts in urban Africa. These institutional capacity challenges are rooted in historical patterns, as the capacity of government bodies to plan for and manage urban growth in Africa is generally relatively weak.
As an African with a planning background, I have been working in this sector for over 15 years. During this time, I have seen different projects collect very useful geospatial datasets, but ultimately these are used only for project purposes instead of being integrated into decision-making instruments. This happens due to a lack of reliable mechanisms for sharing geospatial data or tools that can enable the integration of data from different projects into decision-making processes. I have seen community members engaged in collecting geospatial data to capture their perspectives on urban resilience local leaders, youth, and even informal workers involved in collecting information with GPS devices or smartphones, mapping the locations of drains, water points, waste dumps, roads, and places where people gather during floods. These are not just data points; they represent stories, experiences, and everyday challenges that, when integrated into decision-making, can guide more effective management and planning related to disaster preparedness and urban resilience.
Through my involvement with initiatives like the Resilience Academy and the Tanzania Urban Resilience Program, extensive geospatial data has been collected related to urban resilience and shared with the Climate Risk Database as well as with government officials. However, there is no clear evidence that these data were used for decision-making related to urban resilience in cities—a pattern common across many African cities, even though this has created very useful information for planning better, safer cities.
My research focuses on the integration of geospatial data and community engagement in enhancing urban planning and disaster risk management. We need tools that are made for local needs and keep data useful and reliable over time. The experiences and lessons from data collection, the collected data itself, and the value it creates are all part of understanding and providing insights which can be used for decision-making. In Tanzania, the Climate Risk Database is a good example of what can be achieved when things are done right.
Msilikale Msilanga
The writer is a doctoral researcher at the University of Turku’s Department of Geography and Geology, exploring the enhancement of Urban Resilience through Data-Driven Solutions in African Cities. He has worked with the Tanzania Resilience Academy since 2018 and is passionate about connecting community knowledge with decision-making processes.
Reference:
African Development Bank, OECD, UN-Habitat, & United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. (2024). Africa’s Urbanisation Dynamics 2025: Planning for Urban Expansion. African Urbanisation Report. https://www.afdb.org/en/documents/africas-urbanisation-dynamics-2025-planning-urban-expansion [T10, p.3]
Kamana, A. A., Radoine, H., & Nyasulu, C. (2024). Urban challenges and strategies in African cities – A systematic literature review. City and Environment Interactions, 21, 100132. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cacint.2023.100132
Watson, V. (2021). Shifting approaches to planning theory: Global North and South. Urban Planning, 1(4), 32-41. https://doi.org/10.17645/up.v1i4.727
