Vol.:(0123456789) 1 3 Sustainability Science https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-022-01260-6 REVIEW ARTICLE Sustainability of urban expansion in Africa: a systematic literature review using the Drivers–Pressures–State–Impact–Responses (DPSIR) framework Kamaldeen Yussif 1,3  · Eric Brako Dompreh 2  · Alexandros Gasparatos 1,2 Received: 19 April 2022 / Accepted: 3 November 2022 © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Japan KK, part of Springer Nature 2023 Abstract Rapid urban population growth in Africa has resulted in the rapid expansion of many African cities. This has important ramifications for sustainable development across the continent. However, studies systematically synthesising the emerging literature to critically comprehend the different dimensions of urban expansion in Africa, and its intersections with sustain- ability are lacking. We conduct a systematic review of 247 peer-reviewed papers, critically discussing the dimensions of urban expansion in Africa, using the Drivers–Pressures–State–Impacts–Responses (DPSIR) model. Despite the significant variability between contexts, urban expansion occurs through a complex mix of Drivers, including urban population growth, in-migration, housing deficits, and the complex land governance systems. Urban expansion has multiple Impacts including the loss of agricultural land and natural vegetation that catalyses livelihood shifts/loss, and social transformation in expansion areas. The literature on the Responses to urban expansion is rather limited, usually focuses on policy-oriented responses, and suggests that such policy-oriented responses are rarely implemented effectively. Overall, we observe the centrality and multi- dimensional role of land (and its governance) and demographic transitions in urban expansion processes. We also identify the severe fragmentation of the relevant literature, the disproportionate focus on urban expansion’s negative Impacts, and the critical lack of studies on Responses. Arguably, there is a need for more systematic, cohesive and increasingly compara- tive research to both understand the different dimensions of urban expansion, as well as design effective and fit-for-purpose responses to ensure that it does not compromise Africa’s sustainable development. Keywords Urban sustainability · Urbanisation · Urban growth/expansion · Land governance · Africa Introduction The fraction of the global population living in urban areas has increased from 29.6% in 1950 (UN DESA 2018) to 55% in 2018 (Ritchie and Roser 2018), and is projected to reach approximately 68.0% by 2050 (UN DESA 2019). To accommodate this growing population, the physical extent of urban areas has expanded rapidly. Estimates suggest global urban extent would increase from 652,825 km 2 in 2000 (Seto et al. 2012; Gao and O’Neill 2020) to 1.2 million km 2 by 2030 (Seto et al. 2012). Studies suggest total urban areas are expected to increase by 80% between 2018 and 2030 (Mahendra and Seto 2019). These patterns are faster in developing countries, with urban area expected to increase from 300,000 km 2 in 2000, to 770,000 km 2 in 2030 and to 1,200,000 km 2 in 2050 (Angel et al. 2011). Such growth patterns have been observed to different extents in practically all regions of the world (UN-Habitat 2016), but have been especially pronounced in Africa and Asia in the past decades (Seto et al. 2010; UN, DESA, PD 2019; Mahendra and Seto 2019). These continents are pro- jected to have about 90% of the global urban population growth in the coming decades (UN DESA PD 2019). Popu- lation in Africa could double between 2020 and 2050, with Handled by Peter John Marcotullio, Hunter College, United States. * Kamaldeen Yussif kamaldeenyussif@ymail.com 1 United Nations University–Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS), 5-53-Jingumae, Shibuya-Ku, Tokyo 150-8925, Japan 2 Institute for Future Initiatives (IFI), University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo 113-8654, Japan 3 University for Development Studies (UDS), P. O. Box TL 1350, Tamale, Ghana