Varieties of residential capitalism in Africa: Urban housing provision in Luanda and Nairobi

Abstract

Many cities in Africa have experienced building booms over the last 15 years. This article combines theoretical insights from the varieties of capitalism and varieties of residential capitalism literatures to examine the development of urban housing provision and real estate in Africa. It identifies two patterns of residential capitalism, the statist market economy and the hierarchical market economy types, and draws on a comparison of Luanda, Angola and Nairobi, Kenya to illustrate their respective differences. The two patterns reflect how governments, the private sector, and residents interact around the provision and purchase of housing in diverse political and economic contexts. The article suggests that the features of urban housing construction and real estate markets in the capitals of Angola and Kenya may serve as prototypes for broader patterns of capitalist development in these countries and elsewhere on the continent.