Afrocentric urban mobility model for smart inclusive African cities

Urban mobility in African cities is dominated by informal systems—such as minibuses, motorcycle taxis, and tricycles—that provide vital services yet remain marginalized in formal planning and smart city visions. This conceptual paper introduces the Phygital Mobility Framework (PMF), a three-tiered model that integrates physical infrastructure, digital technologies, and inclusive governance to envision sustainable and context-specific transport futures. Developed through a conceptual synthesis of international mobility debates, African transport realities, digital innovation, and service research, the PMF positions mobility not only as access but as a catalyst for equity, well-being, and climate resilience. Rather than viewing informality as a deficit, the framework reframes it as a foundational asset for building scalable and inclusive systems. By advancing an Afrocentric and Afro-optimist perspective, the PMF offers a fresh alternative to dominant mobility paradigms and provides scholars, policymakers, and development actors with a roadmap to align transport transitions with both the lived realities of African cities and the ambitions of SDGs 11 and 13.