Urban Land: Importance and Challenges

This lecture delves into the significance of urban land, particularly in African cities, emphasizing the complexities of land ownership, the impact on urban restructuring, and the balance between urban sprawl and compactness. It explores the challenges of overlapping land ownership, informal settlements, and the dynamics of land value appreciation. The discussion extends to the evolution from communal land ownership to private property, the role of land security, and the potential for alternative land ownership models. The lecture concludes by highlighting the critical role of understanding land ownership in urban planning and the need for diverse perspectives on land use and ownership in African cities.