The overall aim of this position paper was to inform the Volvo Research and Educational Foundations (VREF) and other researchers during the development of a research agenda for the Mobility and Access in African Cities (MAC) initiative. One of the thematic areas identified for future research is that of mobility governance in cities in SSA, which is the topic of this position paper.

Urban mobility systems are fundamental to the operations of cities. Urban mobility systems include fixed material infrastructures (such as road and railways) and services (such as buses, private cars and paratransit). These systems also include the less-concrete structures of governance, such as institutional arrangements, financing, planning, and management of infrastructures and services. The myriad relationships between the structures and practices of governance, the material infrastructures, and the various transport services that use these infrastructures have direct and indirect impli- cations for how cities function.

Objectives of this positionpaper

The objectives of this position paper are to provide an overview of the governance dynamics of African cities and their implications for mobility in cities, to unpack key trends in the governance of mobility infrastructures in SSA cities, and to craft a compelling and interdisciplinary agenda for future research.