Africa’s cities are growing at an unprecedented pace. In just three decades, the number of urban centers has more than doubled -- from 3,300 to 7,600 -- while city populations have surged by half a billion people. But rapid urbanization brings rising risks. Across Sub-Saharan Africa, floods now account for nearly two-thirds of all disaster events and almost a quarter of disaster-related deaths.
Much of this vulnerability stems from where and how cities expand: often in hazardous areas, through informal or unplanned settlements, and without the infrastructure needed to withstand climate shocks. Without urgent action, urban flooding threatens to undermine development gains and put millions of lives and livelihoods at risk.
To address these challenges, the Livable Cities Workshop 2025 convened municipal leaders, technical experts, and development partners in Cotonou, Benin from September 15–19, 2025. Co-hosted by the World Bank, the City Resilience Program, the City Climate Finance Gap Fund, and the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), the event provided an intensive program on integrated urban flood risk management.
Over the course of five days, municipal officials from 16 African cities worked through a mix of technical sessions, field visits, and hands-on group work designed to bridge knowledge with practical application.
The workshop took participants through different elements of urban flood resilience practice, including:
- Understanding and analyzing flood risk: Exploring how urban growth, climate change, and unplanned development are shaping risk dynamics.
- Learning data and mapping tools: Applying data-driven approaches to assess exposure and inform city planning.
- Site visits in Cotonou and Porto-Novo: Highlighting the role of communication and stakeholder engagement, including local communities, to enhance local governance and resilience to flooding.
- Investment pathways: Identifying financing strategies and exploring how cities can mobilize resources for resilience projects.
The event culminated in a Dragon’s Den-style session, where city teams presented their tailored flood resilience strategies to a panel of experts. Cotonou won first prize with its land-value capture plan for the Eastern Bank, a project combining drainage, land reclamation, and greening, backed by an initial financing plan.
The Livable Cities Workshop was not only about technical training but also about equipping cities to translate knowledge into action. Participants left with:
- City-specific action plans informed by global best practices and local realities.
- Exposure to practical tools for risk assessment and investment prioritization.
- A strengthened network of regional peers and technical experts committed to advancing flood resilience.
Follow the City Resilience Program for more information.