About AMALI GovHub
A platform to facilitate city-to-city learning, knowledge and resource sharing, and to break down information and data barriers and bottlenecks for a better African urban future. Explore our mission, approach, team and partners.
Our Mission
Why are data important for African cities?
Africa has experienced a dramatic population increase over the last century and continues to grow at an estimated annual rate of 3.44%. By 2050, it is projected that the population of many African countries will have more than doubled from current levels, while the region will remain the world's youngest, with an average age of under 25 years old.
Most of the growth and development is expected to occur in cities, where populations are forecasted to increase by 900 million people over the next 30 years.This figure exceeds the current urban population of Europe and North America combined. The future trajectory of African cities and their youthful inhabitants will have a significant impact on the world.
Africa's rapid and youthful urban growth presents a unique blend of challenges and opportunities. The challenges lie in the fact that this significant increase in urban population is occurring while African cities are struggling with various urban issues, including unemployment, slow economic growth, and inadequate infrastructure.Potential opportunities can include harnessing and leveraging the demographic benefits of the growing young and economically active population. However, addressing the challenges and achieving these benefits requires swift and proactive action from urban leaders to create conditions conducive for sustainable development. For such actions to be truly effective and have a transformative impact, they should be guided by evidence.
Against this backdrop, we believe there is no better time than now to establish a research platform for African urban governance. This calls for the establishment of AMALI GovHub, a robust urban governance and city leadership research platform for African cities that features a comprehensive and diverse urban governance catalogue. This platform is essential to advance progressive urban leadership in Africa, facilitate city-to-city learning as well as knowledge and resource sharing, and break down information and data barriers and bottlenecks for a better African urban future.
Africa's rapid and youthful urban growth presents a unique blend of challenges and opportunities. The challenges lie in the fact that this significant increase in urban population is occurring while African cities are struggling with various urban issues, including unemployment, slow economic growth, and inadequate infrastructure.Potential opportunities can include harnessing and leveraging the demographic benefits of the growing young and economically active population. However, addressing the challenges and achieving these benefits requires swift and proactive action from urban leaders to create conditions conducive for sustainable development. For such actions to be truly effective and have a transformative impact, they should be guided by evidence.
Against this backdrop, we believe there is no better time than now to establish a research platform for African urban governance. This calls for the establishment of AMALI GovHub, a robust urban governance and city leadership research platform for African cities that features a comprehensive and diverse urban governance catalogue. This platform is essential to advance progressive urban leadership in Africa, facilitate city-to-city learning as well as knowledge and resource sharing, and break down information and data barriers and bottlenecks for a better African urban future.
Photo by Amani Nation on Unsplash
Our Approach
City Profile research and data methodology
Data Methodology
We contend that understanding the socioeconomic and human development characteristics of a city, tracking urban changes, and measuring progress all rely on having access to comprehensive data at the city level. Open data is a crucial resource that not only ensures public accountability, but also drives knowledge creation and sharing, urban research and innovation, peer-to-peer learning among cities, and reporting on important city metrics such as the Sustainable Development Goals.
Through thorough desktop research, we evaluated the availability and accessibility of urban governance data for 50 selected African cities, identifying data and information gaps. By means of the African Mayoral Leadership Initiative (AMALI), which seeks to onboard approximately 15 new African city leaders each year, we collaborate with city administration teams to address existing data gaps, thereby creating a comprehensive city profile for each city participating in the AMALI City Leadership Programme. The AMALI city profiles therefore offer a descriptive snapshot of each city at the time of joining AMALI, using data from city administrations and other approved platforms.
Through thorough desktop research, we evaluated the availability and accessibility of urban governance data for 50 selected African cities, identifying data and information gaps. By means of the African Mayoral Leadership Initiative (AMALI), which seeks to onboard approximately 15 new African city leaders each year, we collaborate with city administration teams to address existing data gaps, thereby creating a comprehensive city profile for each city participating in the AMALI City Leadership Programme. The AMALI city profiles therefore offer a descriptive snapshot of each city at the time of joining AMALI, using data from city administrations and other approved platforms.
Selection Criteria
It is important to mention that AMALI utilises the term "cities" in a broad sense to encompass counties and districts with significant urban populations, as well as key towns and other urban settlements that may not have official "city" status yet. While most cities are governed by local authorities, we recognise that in many cases, the governing bodies are at a higher level, such as counties or districts, which may include some rural populations. However, in all cases, urban areas form the main centre of the authority. For the initial baseline assessment, we identified 50 African cities with a population of 300,000 or more inhabitants, and in special cases, key cities with populations approaching 300,000.
Out of these 50 cities, 14 participated in the AMALI City Leadership Forum in January 2023. These are Adama (Ethiopia), Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), Bahir Dar (Ethiopia), Dar es Salaam (Tanzania), Dessie (Ethiopia), Dodoma (Tanzania), Douala (Cameroon), Kitwe (Zambia), Lakes District (Côte d'Ivoire), Lusaka (Zambia), Masaka (Uganda), Nansana (Uganda), Quelimane (Mozambique), and Zanzibar (Tanzania). The city profiles of subsequent AMALI cohorts will be uploaded onto the AMALI GovHub as the programme continues to be implemented.
Out of these 50 cities, 14 participated in the AMALI City Leadership Forum in January 2023. These are Adama (Ethiopia), Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), Bahir Dar (Ethiopia), Dar es Salaam (Tanzania), Dessie (Ethiopia), Dodoma (Tanzania), Douala (Cameroon), Kitwe (Zambia), Lakes District (Côte d'Ivoire), Lusaka (Zambia), Masaka (Uganda), Nansana (Uganda), Quelimane (Mozambique), and Zanzibar (Tanzania). The city profiles of subsequent AMALI cohorts will be uploaded onto the AMALI GovHub as the programme continues to be implemented.
Data Collection
To conduct the baseline assessment of the 50 cities, we gathered existing secondary data from national statistical offices, official city administration reports and websites, and relevant official government documents. When necessary, we also sourced information from reputable online platforms of international organisations and agencies, such as the United Nations agencies and the World Bank. These data were used in the initial stage of the creation of AMALI city profiles for the participating cities. To address data gaps, and to finalise and validate AMALI city profiles, we collaborated with designated data personnel within each participating AMALI city administration. The relevant city administrations review and approve the AMALI city profiles for use on AMALI GovHub.
Data Validity
We have made extensive efforts to maintain a high standard of data validity by utilising only information sourced directly from city administrations, official national statistics offices, relevant government ministries, or reputable international agencies. However, certain data, including indicator definitions, denominators, and numerators, have not been independently verified. All AMALI city administrations review and revise their respective AMALI city profiles before uploading them to AMALI GovHub.
Our Partners
Project Partners
African Centre for Cities
ACC is an interdisciplinary hub at the University of Cape Town with a mandate to conduct meaningful research on how to understand, recast, and address pressing urban crises. ACC is recognized globally as a leading institution for urban research in Africa with a decade-long track record of promoting a Southern perspective on the future of cities.
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Big Win Philanthropy
Big Win Philanthropy has deep experience developing leadership programs, having co-developed the Harvard Ministerial Leadership Program held at Harvard University, and the Amujae Initiative hosted by the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Presidential Center for Women and Development. Big Win also provides direct support to heads of state and public leaders across Africa who are pursuing transformational change.
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