Long-Run Trend of Cities' Informal Housing: A Solution for the Majority of Kigali Urban Dwellers and a Challenge to Urban Development in Rwanda

Urban population of developing countries is increasing at an alarming rate. In 2007, an annual urban growth rate of 3.1% was expected in developing countries against 0.4% in developed countries by 2030. In eastern Africa, the annual growth rate is expected to be around 3.8%. It is specifically projected that Rwanda will have an annual urban growth of 4.1% by 2030, actually one among the highest in the world. In 2008, Kigali City accommodated around 800,000 inhabitants, 57% among them being immigrants. Urban population will go on increasing, obviously in Kigali, because it hosts more than 70% of economic activities. The high number of immigrants led to a large development of informal housing with self-help construction as the major model of housing production. Today’s estimation from Kigali City shows that informal housing counts from 70% to 80% of the city and accommodate between 80 and 90 % of the population. Informal housing developed as a response to the State’s inefficiency in land and house provision, and non-affordability of formal housing in Kigali City.