POLICY BRIEF Dr. Jeremmy Okonjo Financing the Just City: Urban Infrastructure Development Financing and Participatory Democracy in Africa 1. Introduction Africa is experiencing one of the fastest urban transitions globally. The continent’s urban population is growing at approximately 3.5% per year- nearly twice the global aver­age- and will exceed 1.5 billion by 2050.1 However, urbani­sation has outpaced the expansion of formal employment, producing large informal labour markets that account for up to 85% of non-agricultural jobs in sub-Saharan Africa.2 Over 60% of sub-Saharan Africa’s urban residents live in in­formal settlements. 3 These patterns have intensified spa­tial and socio-economic inequalities and placed extraordi­nary pressure on cities to provide basic services and urban infrastructure. This rapid urbanisation coincides with tightening fiscal constraints. Domestic public finances remain structurally weak due to narrow tax bases and illicit financial flows es­timated at US$88.6 billion annually.4 Official Development Assistance(ODA) has declined by 17% globally, driven by donors’ reallocation of budgets toward domestic and geo­political priorities. 5 This has resulted in a widening infra­structure financing gap estimated at US$68-108 billion per year. 6 In this context, the United Nations(UN) Conference on Fi­nancing for Development(FfD) has historically promoted a shift toward using public finance and ODA to leverage pri­vate capital, billed as“from billions to trillions”, despite re­cent data showing limited fiscal impact.7 Private-fi­nance-driven models often sideline affordability, accessibil­ity, equity and developmental sovereignty.8 The financialization of urban infrastructure risks overshadowing ‘Just City’ values of dignity, equality, diversity and demo­cratic participation as over-arching principles of urban gov­ernance. 9 In the face of increasingly insufficient infrastructure, ris­ing user fees, continuing informality, widening inequali­ty and climate-related vulnerabilities, urban residents across Africa’s cities are increasingly demanding new democratic spaces through which to influence planning, financing and infrastructure delivery. 2. Contemporary Debates on Urban Infrastructure Financing in Africa The Infrastructure Financing Gap Financing the Just City 1