Africa is urbanising at an unprecedented rate. With the rapid pace of rural-urban migration, cities across the continent are bursting at the seams. 

Today, Nairobi, Kampala, and Addis Ababa are just a few examples of capital cities that are grappling with overwhelming congestion, strained infrastructure, and a growing mismatch between population growth and urban planning. 

It is time African countries took a page from Nigeria’s bold and visionary growth towards developmental strides to relocate the capital from Lagos to Abuja. 

It’s interesting that when Nigeria made the decision in 1991, it was met with both optimism and scepticism. 

Yet, three decades later, Abuja stands as a testament to foresight, spatial planning, and a willingness to reimagine national development beyond historical and bureaucratic inertia. 

Located strategically in the centre of Nigeria, Abuja offers a fresh slate – untethered to colonial legacy, overpopulation, or the lopsided development seen in megacities. 

Today, a drive through Abuja tells a different story compared with Lagos. 

While Lagos remains Nigeria’s commercial nerve centre, Abuja boasts wide boulevards, relatively free-flowing traffic even during peak hours, structured zoning, and ongoing infrastructural expansion benefitting from its master plan. 

It is a city that was designed, not one that simply evolved. 

Granted, Abuja is not without its flaws – ageing and unregulated vehicles still roam its roads, and public transport infrastructure could use a significant facelift – but the order, space, and planning remain remarkably superior to those of many other African capitals. 

This idea of capital relocation is not unique to Nigeria. Tanzania, too, made the leap by moving its capital from the bustling port city of Dar es Salaam to the more centrally located Dodoma. 

What seemed like a logistical headache decades ago has now become a symbol of equitable development and decentralisation. 

Dodoma is fast-growing, attracting new investment, government institutions, and infrastructure, redistributing growth and services that were once monopolised by Dar es Salaam. 

Meanwhile, cities like Nairobi and Kampala are sinking under the weight of their own success. The gridlocks are infamous, the slums expansive, and the infrastructure often overwhelmed. 

Public services – sewage, transportation, recreational spaces, security – are either stretched thin or non-existent in some neighbourhoods. 

The chaos at bus terminals, the interminable traffic jams, and the unchecked urban sprawl are signals of cities teetering on the brink. 

So, why not rethink the capital city model? 

There’s no divine decree that a country must have the same capital forever. Capitals are instruments of governance and symbols of national identity, but they must also be functional. 

Nigeria’s shift to Abuja was rooted in a need for neutrality, accessibility, and expansion. Similar motivations could drive a productive conversation in Kenya, Uganda, and other countries currently choking under urban pressure. 

Relocating a capital is not merely about moving buildings and ministries. It is about redistributing opportunities. It sends a strong message that development is not the monopoly of one region. 

It allows for better land use, more thoughtful city planning, and less strain on existing megacities. 

The relocation, if well-planned, can spark economic activity in previously marginalised areas, opening up new corridors of growth. 

The author is a senior writer with People Daily, a media consultant, and an advocate of better governance and greater democracy in Africa.