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Building New Capital Cities in Africa: Lessons for New Satellite Towns in Developing Countries
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New town building is currently reemerging in the Third World to decant major metropolitan areas using modernist design and planning assumptions. Using the experience of Africa's postcolonial new capital cities of Abuja (Nigeria), Dodoma (Tanzania), Gaborone (Botswana) and Lilongwe (Malawi), this paper analyzes the effectiveness of new town building as an urbanization strategy in Africa and highlights some lessons for new satellite towns currently being built in developing countries. Based on extensive analysis of secondary data, plans and empirical studies, this article found that in addition to their inability to provide adequate housing and infrastructure, these new capital city projects are very expensive, overwhelmed by rapid urbanization, emphasize much on physical development, exacerbate social exclusion, disrupt informal settlements and businesses, and lack public involvement. In conclusion, this paper suggests that new town building in the global South should learn from the experience of the reviewed cases and focus more on meeting contemporary urban challenges such as rapid urbanization, informality, social exclusion, economic development, urban sustainability, as well as climate and environmental change.
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... They affirmed that for LCH supply to be successful, the government may need to be involved in LCH delivery. Abubakar and Doan (2017) of Vienna's people live in subsidised masses houses with regulated tenants' rights protected (Forrest 2018). Similarly, Hong Kong Census andStatistics Department (2017) reported that in Hong Kong, 44% of the population lives in public houses. ...
Studies show that the government’s role can improve low-cost housing (LCH) to achieve SDGs linked with housing. LCH provision as a government social responsibility to achieving Goal 11 may raise critical issues in Malaysia. Therefore, this study investigated the factors hindering Malaysia’s Government from providing LCH as a social responsibility to achieving Goal 11. The research adopted a qualitative approach via phenomenology. It covered four major cities in Malaysia and achieved saturation at the 35th selected participant. Findings reveal that housing provision for all Malaysia’s low-income earners (LIEs) is an issue. The complexity of the problems, such as government inadequate funding, housing market financialisation, faulty LCH registration system, LCH high development and construction cost, under-declaration of household income by an unqualified person, LIEs collateral lacking, inability to provide 10% down payment, reluctance by mortgage institutions to lend loans to LIEs, entitlement syndrome, and inadequate LCH data sharing between federal and states governments may hinder Malaysia’s Government alone from
LCH provision as a social responsibility to the low-income groups. Findings show that achieving Goal 11 may be threatened if these issues are not addressed and suggest measures to improve LCH to achieve Goal 11 via all-inclusive mechanisms.
... Then, individual resources were searched and systematically reviewed. Finally, the themes were synthesized and validated by identifying their relationships and points of convergence or divergence [31]. ...
Access to affordable housing has a significant impact on the quality of lives of households and the overall well-being of communities. The enabling approach is recognized internationally as a mechanism for housing delivery, shifting the government’s role from that of a direct provider to that of an enabler within housing markets. In line with its Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia aims to transition its role from a direct housing provider to an enabler. This study aimed to assess the extent to which enabling strategies have been implemented within the Saudi Arabian context. This research was conducted based on a desktop study of the key literature, analysis of secondary data, and content analysis of the collected documents to address the research aim. The study found that housing costs, traditional land tenure, and insufficient financing are major housing challenges, intensified by high lending interest, lack of investor diversity in housing types, and lack of long-term funding from financiers. Also, slum developments are limited to providing street access, without addressing the overall conditions and the level of services. In addition, the costs of obtaining permits and implementing building regulations have contributed to housing shortages in the country. On the other hand, real estate developers of different scales undergo a classification and qualification system to increase their capacity for housing supply. To address these challenges, the Saudi government has implemented an enabling approach, serving as a provider for low-income and vulnerable groups through the Developmental Housing Program. The government also encourages local manufacturing of building materials to boost the construction industry. The present study recommends that the government enhance existing instruments to enable access to affordable housing.
... These emerging issues, such as nocturnal surface urban heat island intensity (SUHII) [21], fiscal over-concentration, and air pollution [22], have worsened the situation in Global South cities due to a lack of understanding of urban contemporary needs. Rapid urbanization, informality, social exclusion, poverty, unemployment, urban sustainability, and climate and environmental change are among the new urban challenges in African cities [23,24]. Suburban development patterns are linked to increased reliance on vehicles and traffic congestion outside the main city in many metropolitan areas with scattered development characteristics [25,26] Car dependency is characterized by a high per capita vehicle travel rate, car-based land-use patterns, and limited transportation options [27,28]. ...
Air pollution is one of the most challenging issues for urban environment and environmental management. The goal of this study was to determine the impact of Tehran metropolitan's performance and accessibility on urban transportation and air pollution as sprawl grows. Tehran, with a population of 15.98 million people, has many environmental issues, including air pollution. Secondary data were collected from the Tehran Air Quality Control Company as well as Landsat satellite imagery (OLI). The raw data of intra-city and suburban traffic counts for spatial analysis of movements, combined with the raw data of measuring stations, were then used as a sample in the ArcGIS software environment for three selected days in 2013, 2014, and 2016. Following geometric and radiometric correction, programming methods and a multivariate regression algorithm were applied to the images, yielding results in the form of additional stations. According to the results obtained (about 3.29 m) root-mean-square error (RMSE), the Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW) model was used in air pollution maps for better assessment. The findings suggest that Tehran is not the only source of air pollution and that TMA performance and accessibility play a significant role in the amount of air pollution. Furthermore, there is a strong correlation (more than 75%) between air pollution maps and transportation flow maps on specific days (February 23, 2013, February 26, 2015, and December 28, 2016). Finally, the analysis of this situation in three circles showed that the highest volume of traffic was done in the city of Tehran (CBD), suburban area (Suburban), and suburban area (Exurban), respectively, and the pattern of distribution and spatial accumulation of pollution has also been a function of this situation.
... Therefore, the SC concept is applied as an urgent response, though with similar intentions of distributing population as seen in post-war Europe. However, these initiatives often struggle with distinct issues (often on a larger scale and more urgent) from those faced in the GN cities-basic infrastructure shortages, rapid growth of informal settlements, economic inequality, environmental degradation, reliance on public-private partnerships, and governance and planning inefficiencies (Abubakar & Doan, 2017). SCs in the GS must often build their planning and infrastructure systems from the ground up, unlike their counterparts in the GN, which inherit a level of development that can be built upon. ...
This paper presents an in-depth city profile analyzing Martil—an emerging coastal satellite urban center in northern Morocco. Situated within a rapidly urbanizing context, Martil exemplifies organic satellite city dynamics in the Global South. The analysis tracks Martil's demographic, spatial, economic, social, environmental, and planning transformations since the 1970s. Accelerated rural-urban migration fueled unstructured peripheral expansion, straining infrastructure and producing socioeconomic disparities. Unregulated construction encroached on floodplains and coastal habitats, increasing climate risks and environmental degradation. Recent urban development plans aim to balance growth priorities with sustainability concerns through zoning, partnerships, and critical projects. However, persisting governance gaps between ambitions and on-ground outcomes continue to hinder equitable development and ecological resilience. The study situates Martil locally and comparatively, underscoring mismatches between prevailing models and satellites' distinct realities. Satellite urbanism's complexities validate calls for fundamental paradigm shifts prioritizing social welfare, climate adaptation, economic diversity, and participatory planning essential for sustainable urban development. This multi-dimensional analysis of a rapidly evolving coastal satellite city on the Mediterranean contributes an original perspective to urban studies scholarship while offering integrated recommendations for practitioners and policymakers.
... Thus, the government of Lagos city and the administrators can incorporate more parks and open spaces into the designs of new districts in order to harness the lessons drawn from their analogues and at the same time adapt to the expected future temperature changes. Although Lagos is fast developing with more modern infrastructures when compared to other cities in Nigeria [96], the planners will need to pay attention to the master plan by developing policies that will incorporate new design considerations that helps in the reduction in energy consumption [97], increase shading [98] and improve exposure to wind. This will improve the urban environments, reduce energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, cut overall cost, and improve the residents' temperature experience [99]. ...
Responding to the threats of climate change by cities requires taking relevant actions that will communicate future conditions in reliable and effective manner for sustainable and transformational climate actions. We used the analog approach to assess the geographical shifts and changes in average temperature conditions for six traditional and economic cities under different climate scenarios (Mitigated and Unmitigated scenarios). We calculated the similarity in temperature between each pixel for the current (2021–2050) and future (2041–2070) conditions of the cities, with every pixel globally in the historical (1971–200) period. Our analysis revealed that; (1) the temperature of the cities in the current and future periods will be similar to conditions of another place on the globe during the historical period; (2) Kano city will experience even more drastic changes because of the low level of similarity to other places; (3) the new places found with similar temperature conditions are generally to the south of the corresponding cities thus indicating warming. The overall results show that the analogues of the cities are within the domain of the global tropical zone which occurs around the equator. Drawing from the interaction between cities and their analogues, we highlighted sustainable city related actions such as the incorporation of urban designs and policies to enhance human thermal comfort as adaptation and solution strategies. While future research might apply qualitative studies and additional data to support the analog results, our findings can guide the understanding and application of the analog approach into environmental issues in Nigeria and other West African countries in accordance to sustainable city goals (SDG 11).
... However, there is still a gap in research on the impact of NU on UME. Therefore, it is necessary to further empirically examine the importance of the NU's impact effect on UME [15,24,25]. ...
Existing studies have paid less attention to the impact of new urbanization (NU) on urban metabolic efficiency (UME). This paper empirically tests the mechanism and the effect of NU on UME based on China’s panel data from 2008 to 2020, using China’s NU pilot as a quasi-natural experiment. The study draws the following conclusions: (1) NU can significantly promote UME. (2) NU can promote UME for cities in neighboring regions. (3) The effect of NU on UME presents the heterogeneous characteristics of eastern region > central region > western region, non-urban agglomeration cities > urban agglomeration cities, and is greater in central cities than in non-central cities. (4) Mechanism analysis shows that NU can promote UME through six paths: promoting urban–rural integration and regional synergistic development, reducing urban sprawl and energy mismatch, strengthening urban–rural population mobility, and green innovation division of labor. The above results are not only conducive to incorporating UME into NU’s appraisal system but also to making UME, which can reflect the quality of urban development in a more comprehensive and systematic way, a performance measurement tool for NU.
This study evaluates 7Ds (density, diversity, design, distance to transit, destination accessibility, demand management, and demography) from a transit-oriented development (TOD) perspective for four large-scale new towns (NTs) in the suburban areas of Seoul, South Korea, and Tokyo, Japan. The analysis revealed variations in self-sufficiency and travel behavior based on these differences, leading to four main policy implications. First, Seoul’s NTs demonstrated high-density mixed-use development, promoting localized short-distance travel within these areas. This highlights the importance of encouraging high-density mixed-use development to foster commuting self-sufficiency. Second, Tokyo’s NTs feature housing development centered on rail transit, resulting in a greater utilization of rail transit modes. This emphasizes the positive impact of rail-transit-oriented development on sustainable mode choice. Third, demand management strategies such as firm-based subsidies and an integrated transit system were identified in the Tokyo and Seoul NTs, respectively. These strategies aimed to provide incentives for choosing public transit over private cars. Additionally, it is crucial to consider the relationship between NTs and their neighboring areas to prevent wasteful commuting resulting from continuous decentralization trends in jobs and housing. This study offers valuable insights for policymakers and planners by highlighting the significance of integrating TOD principles into NT planning and development.
Most internal migration is not through state-sponsored resettlement programs. State-sponsored migration is more common than we tend to think, and many unsponsored migrants may trail along with sponsored communities. Most people, however, move for reasons not driven by the state, sometimes doing so against state preferences.
China has gained a foothold in the African construction sector through the provision of ‘resources for infrastructure’ loans. The dominance of Chinese companies is particularly evident in mega projects such as railways, major transportation arteries, public buildings, etc.
In Angola, China is also involved in the construction of new urban centres on a scale unequalled by any other foreign partners in Africa. These new urban centres, located on the outskirts of major cities, are meant to address the massive housing shortfall in the country. This policy briefing analyses the Sino–Angolan partnership in the construction of satellite towns in Angola. Based on extensive fieldwork in Angola and China in 2013, it uses the Kilamba Kiaxi flagship project as a case study, highlighting the issues raised by this new urbanisation model in Africa. It argues that despite their invaluable immediate contribution to solving the housing problem, Chinese-built satellite towns face a number of challenges that may affect their sustainability in the medium to long term.
One of the features that characterise the designated capital city of Dodoma is the limited green landscape element as a result of semiarid climatic conditions of the whole central region of Tanzania. Besides concerted efforts by the Dodoma urban authorities to develop greenery landscape within the city through the Capital City Development Programme, such efforts have fallen into conflict with people’s livelihood activities. In this paper, it is argued that the gap between identification of appropriate landscape features that are not consistent with people's lifestyles and the local conditions are the contributory factors to the observed conflicts between attempts to green the city and livelihoods of the residents. Borrowed planning concepts in the masterplans thatwere imposed on the contextof Dodoma do not reflectthe realityof thepeople's needs and priorities as regards their livelihoods. These concepts have to the greatest extent failed to integrate livelihood activities and greening initiatives. This paper underscores the need for developing locally based planning considerations that take cognisance of all stakeholders and the local context as a way towards harmonising greening initiatives while accommodating people's livelihood needs and activities.
Key Words: greening initiatives, livelihood activities, semi-arid cities, urban planning, master plans, Dodoma, Tanzania.
Since Lipton’s (1977) seminal thesis on urban bias in Third World countries, there has been an ongoing debate on the developmental role of the state and cities (Stren and White 1989, Bryceson 1993, Wekwete and Rambanapasi 1994). In recent years, the World Bank (2000a,b) has signalled an increasing appreciation of the progressive role that African cities and accountable governments can play in fostering economic development. Despite the dismal economic record of African countries over the last two decades, it has become an article of global faith that with a change in management style, the unleashing of market forces and the adoption of liberal democratic practices, Africa’s urban settlements can be rehabilitated into loci of livelihood opportunities and economic transformation.
Considers what is meant by the new town idea and why countries are attracted to it. Then looks at the relationship between new town projects and local urban development processes. A case study considers rapidly expanding towns in Venezuela. -from Author
In this paper we trace how Gaborone has grown from a very small village to the capital city of Botswana in a period of less than 30 years. Attention has been given to how careful design of master plan concepts has shaped the city and responded to the needs and aspirations of the residents. Through appropriate and enabling urban-development policies, standards and codes, a very amenable environment has been created. The city can boast of adequate and modern civic and commercial centers; modern functional infrastructure including water, electricity, roads and sewage systems; access to land for virtually all people; adequate housing provided by both the public and the private sectors and for the low income, the adoption of a very successful program of squatter upgrading and self-help housing. Through careful management and development control practices, city growth has been contained quite well in spite of rapid development and the future of the city looks quite bright.