Short Abstract

This paper examines how gender, sexuality, and identities shape experiences of African cities. Drawing on African feminist perspectives and intersectionality, arguing that urban spaces are contested sites where power, inclusion, and exclusion influence access, belonging, and social justice.

Long Abstract

Africa’s rapid urbanization has transformed cities into key sites of economic, political, and cultural change, yet the gendered and sexual dimensions of urban life remain underexplored. This paper proposes African feminist urbanism as a critical framework for examining how gender, sexuality, class, ethnicity, age, disability, religion, and other intersecting identities shape everyday experiences of African cities. Drawing on African feminist thought and intersectionality, it argues that urban spaces are contested arenas where inclusion, exclusion, power, and belonging are continuously negotiated. The paper explores how women and other marginalized groups, including queer communities, informal workers, migrants, students, and persons with disabilities, navigate issues of mobility, safety, housing, employment, and public space while resisting social inequalities and creating new forms of identity and community. It further examines how sexuality intersects with culture, religion, and state authority, producing diverse urban experiences across the continent. The study contends that African feminist urbanism offers an important lens for rethinking urban governance by centring lived experiences often overlooked in conventional planning. By foregrounding accessibility, participation, representation, and spatial justice, it demonstrates that inclusive cities require attention not only to infrastructure but also to the social relations that shape urban life. Ultimately, the paper contributes to debates on equitable urban development, democratic citizenship, and the future of African cities.

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