African Cities Journal

About

The African Cities Journal is the first peer-reviewed journal that promotes a multi- and trans-disciplinary approach to urban studies in Africa, edited in two languages (English and French). In addition to promoting research on African cities and sustainable development, one of the journal's primary missions is to highlight innovative perspectives from various players based on this same continent, who have the advantage of direct contact with the field. In this sense, a large proportion of our editorial committee comprises experts from different African regions. 

It is developed in partnership with EPFL and University Mohammed VI Polytechnic.
The journal also receives support from African Cities Lab.

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Current Issue

Volume 6, No. 1Youth, Digital Access, and Urban Participation in the Global South

Published 26 March 2026

Original Research Article

  1. Godswill Udoh OKON, Denis Alcides REZENDE

    Evaluating Strategic Digital City: strategies, public services, and City Information Management in Lagos, Nigeria

    Cities require strategies, public services, and city and spatial information (CSI) for development, a high quality of life, problem-solving, and to be strategically digitized to enhance the duties of city managers and the efficiency of city dwellers. The objective of the research was to analyze Lagos city's strategies and public services, observing whether they aligned with the SDC’s model and city and spatial information management policy. The case study research design was used, while the qualitative and quantitative techniques were used to analyze the data. The results revealed that Lagos City had 3 strategies and 30 public services. From the result, 36.7% of the public services were in line with the SDC model, 10% were in line with the CSI, and 53.3% were still awaiting implementation. In conclusion, it was recommended that Lagos city strategies and public services should be properly managed, and enshrined in the city information management system in line with the SDC model, Increase public services by ensuring a good housing and land-use information, spatial policy, and geographic information, Medical, and health outreach information to guide access to medical facilities and services, transportation and traffic management information system among other recommendations

Review Article

  1. Tariq AKDIM, Adil ZABADI, Abdelaziz ADIDI

    Metropolitan areas and the digital transition: toward a hybrid model?

    Digital transition profoundly disrupts contemporary metropolitan dynamics, generating contrasted urban development trajectories between Global North and South metropolises. This research comparatively analyzes urban digitization experiences to examine the emergence of a hybrid model that transcends traditional geographical dichotomies. Northern metropolises develop sophisticated technological ecosystems integrating Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, and massive urban data exploitation. Barcelona, Stockholm, and Singapore illustrate this techno-centric approach that optimizes urban service efficiency but raises concerns regarding pervasive surveillance and persistent digital divides. Simultaneously, Southern metropolises experiment with frugal innovations prioritizing contextual adaptation to infrastructural and budgetary constraints. Lagos, Nairobi, and Cairo develop alternative solutions such as mobile banking and informal platforms that renew conventional smart city approaches. The analysis reveals the progressive emergence of a hybrid model that creatively articulates technological sophistication and frugal innovation. This hybridization operates through selective technological transfers, cross-learning processes, and local appropriation of global innovations. The hybrid model opens promising perspectives for the emergence of "inclusive smart metropolises" that reconcile technical performance and social justice, while raising challenges related to urban data governance and prevention of new forms of digital inequalities.