The Sustainable Urban Development in West African Cities: Planning Climate-Resilience Infrastructure in Banjul and Beyond

This study investigates the challenges and opportunities for achieving climate-resilient urban development in West African coastal cities, focusing on Banjul, The Gambia. Rapid urbanization, outdated infrastructure, and fragmented governance structures have intensified the city’s vulnerability to sea-level rise, flooding, and loss of green spaces. Using a qualitative single-case study approach, the research draws on key informant interviews, focus group discussions, field observations, spatial analysis, and document review to assess infrastructure conditions, governance barriers, and community adaptation practices. Findings reveal blocked and undersized drainage systems, centralized yet inefficient waste management, and significant vegetated cover loss. Institutional overlaps, limited participatory planning, and overreliance on donor funding hinder coordinated climate adaptation. Nevertheless, transferable solutions such as hybrid gray-green drainage, decentralized waste hubs, and community-managed green corridors—offer promising pathways when adapted to local contexts. The study proposes an integrated framework grounded in resilient urbanism, socio-environmental justice, and participatory governance to enhance Banjul’s adaptive capacity. The results contribute to regional policy discourse, offering a replicable model for other West African coastal cities. Aligning with Sustainable Development Goal 11 and the Paris Agreement, the research emphasizes the importance of governance reform, technical innovation, and community engagement in building sustainable, climate-resilient urban futures.