Industrial and Urban Growth Policies in Sub-Saharan Africa and North Africa Compared

Abstract

The purpose of this chapter is to compare industrial and urban growth policies in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and North Africa (NA) with the aim to draw lessons and inform policy and research in the subject. The chapter advances the argument that industrial and urban growth ought to be directly related. This follows the development trajectory and urbanization trend in the Global South which was birthed and sustained by the Industrial Revolution. The case study approach has been used to develop this chapter where Africa is first divided into two broad territories, SSA and NA. Subsequently, cases are selected from Lusophone, Anglophone, and Francophone countries. The analysis considers in detail Zimbabwe, South Africa, Guinea-Bissau, Algeria, and Egypt.