• Angola launches a $300 million World Bank-funded project to tackle urban challenges.

• The project focuses on improving governance, housing, and living conditions in Benguela, Huambo, and Lubango.

• Angola’s urban population is expected to nearly triple by 2050, intensifying infrastructure and housing demands.

The World Bank has granted Angola $300 million to launch a sweeping urban rehabilitation program aimed at tackling the severe challenges posed by rapid urbanization.

On July 8, the Angolan government officially rolled out the Urban Rehabilitation and Redevelopment Project (SONA). The project focuses on improving urban governance, supporting self-constructed housing, and boosting living conditions in three fast-growing cities—Benguela, Huambo, and Lubango.

The funding responds to explosive urban population growth. Today, nearly 21 million Angolans live in cities, and that number is expected to triple to 61 million by 2050, according to World Bank projections.

Urban expansion in Angola is driven by natural population growth, rural migration, and economic development. But the surge is straining infrastructure, worsening mobility, and deepening the housing crisis, which now counts a shortfall of 2.2 million units.

World Bank Country Director for Angola and São Tomé and Príncipe, Juan Carlos Alvarez, told national news agency ANGOP: “This initiative seeks to address the challenges of accelerated urbanization in Angola.”

The high cost of urban living further complicates the situation. The World Bank reports that living costs in Angolan cities—covering food, housing, and transport—are 32% higher than in cities with comparable income levels. Angola’s cities rank among sub-Saharan Africa’s most expensive.

The SONA project aims to reinforce both local and national institutions managing urban development. The project’s first phase will support guided self-construction, enhance urban planning capacity, and promote territorial equity.

SONA aligns with Angola’s 2023–2027 National Development Plan, which focuses on expanding access to affordable housing, clean water, sanitation, and roads.

The plan also emphasizes integration with agricultural zones, especially along the Lobito corridor, a priority axis for inclusive and sustainable growth.

Lydie Mobio