City Environment and Public Transport in the 21st Century Urban Africa: Overview of Opportunities and Challenges

Abstract

Cities in developing countries are fast growing in human population and structural expansion. This unprecedented phenomenon will continue in large parts of sub-Saharan Africa with future challenges on human survival, the environment and ecological sustainability. African cities seem to have, at the same time, all of rapid population growth, urban sprawl and changing technological advancement ahead of deliberate physical planning at individual and regional levels. This has left many with solutions that underscores regional approaches to economic integration, climate change, and city resilience through efficient metropolitan transport system within and beyond cities. The successes of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) in Lagos and Cairo have spurred many cities to have plans to adopt the schemes and the need to further assess the sustainability of BRTs and related infrastructure. Using physical survey and secondary data, this work assessed the nature and the pace of the development of public transportation infrastructure in Nigerian cities to highlight environmental, social and climate matters. Findings suggests the need for wider consultations with the professionals and other stakeholders already organized at local and regional levels. The use of new and emerging technologies for the envisaged transport infrastructure is found to be less emphasized as cities look forward to wide introduction of BRTs. Cities are less in taken the advantages of renewable energy technologies for sustainable development through energy utilization, city resilience, and, digital and artificial intelligence in urban development and management. This can be achieved through the demonstrated city-wide participation for inclusive and sustainable urban transport.