Coloniality–urban informality–climate justice nexus in Sub-Saharan African cities: a critical review

This paper examines the complex and often overlooked intersections of coloniality, urban informality, and climate justice in Sub-Saharan African cities. Using a critical literature review, we argue that many Sub-Saharan African cities experience a colonial hangover through historically entrenched systems of governance that continue to shape the present-day urban policy and management landscape, often marginalising informal settlements. The perpetuation of colonially oriented anti-informality discourses, policies and practices led to systemic underinvestment in resilient and critical infrastructure in informal settlements. This marginalisation exacerbates vulnerabilities among urban poor communities, who are disproportionately impacted by climate change. We contend that achieving climate justice in these settings requires an explicit recognition and dismantling of colonial structures within urban planning and policy. This requires an inclusive framework that centres the agency of informal communities in decision-making processes, especially in urban climate adaptation planning. By linking coloniality with climate justice, this paper provides a new perspective on the urgent need for decolonial urban strategies that recognise the adaptive capacities of urban informality.HighlightsExamines the complex and often overlooked intersections of coloniality, urban informality, and climate justice in African cities.The perpetuation of anti-informality policies amplifies existing inequalities and entrench climate coloniality.Call for decolonial urban strategies that recognise the adaptive capacities of urban informality.