Organised by the Wits-TUB-UNILAG Urban Lab project and hosted by the School of Architecture and Planning the African Urbanisms Conference took place at Wits University in Johannesburg from 23 to 26 October. The conference explored a diversity of urban experiences across Africa and discussed ways forward for urban development in the region.

The conference brought together over 300 professionals from across the African continent, as well as Europe and North America. These included academics from a variety of disciplines engaged in urban development, as well as practitioners from development cooperation, planning institutions, advocacy and community organisations.

In his opening keynote, Shuaib Lwasa (ISS, Erasmus University Rotterdam) set the tone for the conference by calling for a differentiated picture of urbanisation in Africa and the academic and practical challenges it poses and emphasised the need to place Africa's diverse knowledge of urban development in Africa in public and academic discourses. Responses from Nqobile Malaza (Wits University), Gilbert Siame (University of Zambia) and Jennifer Robinson (University College London) focused the discussion on theorising urban development from Africa, listening to diverse knowledges, centering African experiences and campaigning for research outlets that support the dissemination of knowledge on African Urbanisms to the relevant contexts and decision makers.

In 42 thematic sessions hosted by specialist session convenors, delegates presented their research and critically discussed a wide range of challenges facing African cities, explored transformative practices towards more sustainable urban areas and African futures that go beyond critiquing the status quo, and explored potential futures of urban development on the continent.

In the closing session, Florence Avogo (TU Berlin/ SDD-UBIDS), Taiwo Afinowi (University of Pretoria) and Dorcas Nthoki Nyamai (TU Dortmund) shared their reflections on the three themes of the conference: critical engagements, transformative practices and alternative futures. Geci Karuri-Sebina (Wits University), Philip Harrison (Wits University), Ayona Datta (University College London) and Grace Lubaale (UN Habitat) closed the conference by taking the conference’s debates further, discussing the relationship between policy and academic research and the implications of the conference insights for engaging with the future of cities in Africa and beyond.

The programme was complemented by various book launches and exhibitions, which explored urban development in the Gauteng region through a variety of artistic expressions. On Saturday an Urban Fare at Marlboro station allowed conference participants to explore the adjacent Alexandra neighbourhood with local guides, and to learn about the area's current development through panel discussions, theatre performances and an exhibition of work created by students through their engagement with the area.

The Scientific Committee would like to thank everyone that attended, the presenters, the session hosts, the discussants and the speakers for openly and sincerely engaging with us in this conference and allowing the discourse on African Urbanisms to progress in this space.

Scientific Committee:

Prof Mfaniseni Sihlongonyane (Wits University), Prof Marie Huchzermeyer (Wits University), Prof Philipp Misselwitz (TU Berlin), Prof Taibat Lawanson (University of Lagos), Dr Haruna Jimoh (University of Lagos), Dr Nadine Appelhans (TU Berlin), Dr Emmanuel Busayo (Wits University), Lucas-Andrés Elsner (TU Berlin)

Organising Team:

Dr. Nadine Appelhans, Zakiyyah Ayob, Dr Emmanuel Busayo, Lucas-Andrés Elsner, Hluma Ralane, Prof Mfaniseni Sihlongonyane, Taki Sithagu, Dilara Uçar