Urbanization and The Dynamics of Change in the Sahel

Since independence, Sahelian cities have been experiencing continuous and increasingly strong population growth, linked to migration and to an unfinished demographic transition. In contexts of rapid urbanization, facilities, infrastructure, and services (school, health, sanitation, etc.) are deficient, and a transfer of poverty from rural areas to cities takes place. Sahelian cities are also marked by the youthfulness of their populations, and an important area for research are the questions of what the city does to youth, and what youth does to the city. Knowledge of Sahelian cities remains fragmented. If the dynamics and challenges of capitals such as Dakar, Ouagadougou, or Bamako are fairly well known, those of N’Djamena, Niamey, or Nouakchott are less so. There are few studies of small and medium-sized cities, and these are in need of updating in the contemporary context of decentralization. This chapter surveys the state of knowledge of urbanization in the Sahel, and suggests directions for future research.