Posted on June 24, 2026
By aligning city and port strategies, African leaders can harness the power of partnerships and the AfCFTA to drive a just, green transition that protects vulnerable coastal communities.
By 2050, the population of our continent is expected to reach 2.5 billion, with two-thirds living in urban areas. This seismic demographic shift, alongside our rapidly changing climate, will place unprecedented pressure on our port and coastal cities.
From sea-level rise and irregular rainfall to extreme heat, we must harness all the levers in our toolbox as city leaders to protect frontline communities, improve public health, and serve as the connective tissue between local and global markets.
That is the clarion call from port cities attending the Our Ocean Conference in Mombasa this week. As mayors and commissioners of Dar es Salaam, eThekwini, and Lagos – members of the C40 group of cities united in tackling the climate emergency – we have three key opportunities to deliver for all our residents.
Break down the silos between cities and ports
The first step is to recognise the power of partnerships. Historically, city halls and ports have been treated as separate entities, leading to institutional silos. Yet they are deeply connected through shared infrastructure, social fabric, and historical and cultural ties.
By aligning our climate action plans with port strategies, we can optimise traffic flow on land and at sea, improve air quality, reduce emissions, tackle noise pollution, and revitalise underused land. This paves the way for a safer, healthier, and more affordable future for all.
The second opportunity is the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the world’s largest free trade area by population, which was launched in 2021 to boost regional and economic integration and enable the free movement of people, goods, and services. This new chapter for regional cooperation on our continent must be coupled with a green shift to support the growth of diverse local industries.
Dar es Salaam, eThekwini (the Zulu name for the metropolitan area encompassing the city of Durban and its surrounding towns), and Lagos are not solely trade gateways but also hubs for energy consumption and concentrations of businesses and job opportunities. The AfCFTA presents a viable pathway to strengthen our urban labour markets and green job prospects for our young people.
Putting a just transition into practice
Thirdly, we have to ensure that this is a just and equitable transition that leaves no one behind.
In Dar es Salaam, we understand that reducing pollution and improving the quality of life for port communities requires action across every aspect of the city’s operations. We are electrifying public transport near the port and working with the Tanzania Ports Authority to phase out diesel-powered port equipment, delivering cleaner air for all.
New green spaces and efforts to boost local biodiversity through community engagement also help ensure we mitigate and adapt to worsening climate impacts.
In eThekwini, we are working with counterparts at the port to invest in our people and develop a future workforce to lead the green transition. Developing skills and training programmes will be critical in a decarbonised economy. This places workers at the heart of our city and port climate action pathways and is a stepping stone towards transforming Durban into a just, safe, and vibrant city.
In Lagos, our coastal communities are particularly vulnerable to sea-level rise and coastal erosion. The climate crisis also poses a significant risk to the Lagos ports, which collectively handle most of Nigeria’s maritime trade and serve as a key gateway for commerce across West Africa. This risk is compounded by the impact of shipping on water pollution, the local fishing economy, and marine biodiversity. Future Lagos climate action plans must align with the Nigerian Ports Authority’s strategy for targeted implementation.
The time to act is now. Together, we can build a resilient, clean-energy ecosystem that future-proofs our cities and ports, delivering a better quality of life for our residents.
