4 African countries that are relocating their capital cities

Traditionally, most African countries have had their capital cities as the most important cities which eventually became the administrative headquarters after independence.

It was advantageous to have these cities placed around the most prominent form of transport at that time, the ocean to facilitate travel and trade.

However, the pressures of growing populations in these cosmopolitan cities have forced the seat of government in these nations to be moved.

Administrators often say a new city built from scratch would give urban planners a chance to build a modern city without the mistakes of the old.

Governments are building new cities to accommodate the changes that have come with the modern world to head their administrative operations.

Here is a list of 4 African countries that have moved or are in the process of moving their capital city.

Tanzania

397km from the coastal city of Dar es Salam is the inland city Dodoma, located in the centre of Tanzania. The country’s founding father, Julius Nyerere proposed that Tanzania’s capital is moved to Dodoma because it would serve the needs of the nation better.

However, in the past 40years, the Nyerere’s vision has been stifled by an unstable economy that could not facilitate the move of the capital.

Yet, Tanzania’s current President John Magufuli is hopeful that the project would be completed by 2020.

Equatorial Guinea

Ten years ago, Africa’s third largest oil producer, Equatorial Guinea planned to move its capital from Malabo to a remote interior city the country is yet to construct.

The proposed new capital, Oyala lies at the heart of the country’s rainforest close to Gabon’s border.

Oyala, a city some Equatorial Guineans call the ‘City of the future’ would have a 450-room luxury hotel, a championship golf course and a luxury hotel with 450 rooms. The city is expected to have a population of at least 200,000 people and a proposed university, International University of Central Africa.

Zambia

A proposed new capital Ngabwe, 75 miles of the current administrative head, Lusaka and located at the centre of the nation would help reduce the overpopulation menace of Zambia.

Although the uninhabited city is a flood prone area, officials contend it is more accessible and would serve the nation’s administrative purposes better.

Egypt

The government of Egypt announced plans to relocate its 1,000-year-old capital, Cairo to a yet-to-be-named city in 2015.

The proposed capital is expected to solve Egypt’s unbearable traffic problem and provide more houses for the Cairo’s 30million population.

The city would boast of the world’s largest park, more than 1,000 mosques and an Islamic museum.

4 African countries that are relocating their capital cities

Traditionally, most African countries have had their capital cities as the most important cities which eventually became the administrative headquarters after independence.

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