Africa has the world's fastest urbanization rate
At 40 percent, Africa's percentage urban population is the lowest in the world despite its average increase over the past 25 years being the highest of any region in the world—3.5 percent annually. Projections show that this trend will continue at a slightly more modest rate of 3.1 percent annually over the next 25 years, with urban growth outpacing the growth of the rural population. The result will be an increase to 50 percent urbanization, with African cities adding more than 500 million people—twice as many as rural areas over the same period.
Urbanization and economic growth are intricately related as agrarian-based regional economies transition to urban economies centered on industry and services. Successful conversion requires a shift in spending to projects that focus on integrated urban planning to improve infrastructure, spur productivity, and foster income growth. The increase in urbanization and economic growth, meanwhile, is expected to stimulate demand for air travel to, from, and within the continent