Informality

Informality is a fundamental attribute of our global economy. It is estimated that 61.5% of the global population engage in informal work, thereby establishing informal employment as a prevailing practice. In Africa, empirical evidence indicates that informal employment accounts for 85.8% of total employment and 78% of all new employment opportunities.

In terms of urban development, informality contributes to approximately 60-80% of the prevailing urban landscapes in the developing world. In Africa, which is the fastest urbanizing continent, informal urbanization has become a defining feature of city construction. Informality is at the core of the functioning and vibrancy of many African cities. It is instrumental in delivering a wide range of urban services such as street vending, garbage collection, informal transportation and informal housing among others. These fundamental realities underscore the critical importance of integrating urban informality into discourse related to urban transitions in Africa.

LEARN seeks to contribute to positive framings of informality by deconstructing normative connotations and perceptions surrounding informality within Eastern African cities. The network acknowledges that the binary labelling of cities as ‘formal’ and ‘informal’, only deepens biases towards urban informality despite its pivotal role in shaping cities across the region. Our research therefore aims at reframing narratives about informality by illuminating its magnitude and complexities, the opportunities it offers, and influencing the reformation of policy approaches to adjust accordingly to Africa’s urban realities.