Expert: Over half of Africa's population lives in informal settlements

More than half of Africa's population lives in informal settlements, Jane Lumumba, Program Management Officer at the UN-Habitat Regional Office for Africa, said during an event held at the 13th Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku, Report informs.

Lumumba said that only about 5% of Africa's population can access mortgage loans, while the vast majority are forced to live in illegal or informal housing: "This is not people's choice, but the result of the formal housing ecosystem failing to meet demand. Thus, more than half of the continent's population lives in informal settlements. People do not voluntarily create informal housing; rather, the formal housing market cannot provide land, finance, and services quickly enough and at affordable prices."

The expert also emphasized the climate challenge facing Africa: "African cities have become the center of climate risks, visible across all subregions. If we want to build climate-resilient housing and urban infrastructure, we must change our construction methods."