By Millicent Senava Mannah
The Sierra Leone Urban Research Centre (SLURC) has unveiled a major new publication that captures a decade of pioneering urban research and advocacy. The book, “Urban Transformations in Sierra Leone: Knowledge Co-production and Partnerships for a Just City”, presents a powerful narrative of collaborative research, community engagement and policy innovation aimed at building more inclusive and sustainable cities. This event was held on Monday 2nd June, 2025, at the New Brookfields Hotel in Freetown.
The launch event provided a platform for authors and contributors to reflect on the motivations, challenges and impacts of their work over the past ten years.
The publication traces SLURC’s evolution from a small local initiative into an internationally recognized research hub. At its core is the principle of knowledge co-production; a collaborative approach in which researchers, communities, Government actors and civil society organizations jointly shape the research agenda, process and outcomes.
SLURC’s Executive Director, Dr. Joseph Macarthy, emphasized the importance of local ownership in knowledge creation, noting that genuine partnerships empower local researchers to address global urban challenges. He added that urban knowledge must be grounded in local realities and must challenge power imbalances; particularly the lingering structural legacies of colonial urban planning.
Dr. Andrea Rigon, Associate Professor at Politecnico di Milano and one of the contributors, underscored the urgency of such a work in the context of Africa’s rapidly expanding cities. He emphasized that Freetown, like many African cities, is undergoing complex and swift urban transformation, which demands locally relevant, evidence-based policy responses.
The Associate Professor highlighted the importance of building interdisciplinary partnerships; bringing together academics, NGOs, community members and policymakers to co-create research goals and methodologies. This inclusive approach, he argued, is vital for sustainable urban development.
SLURC has led several influential studies, including a landmark investigation into low-income settlements in Freetown. This research revealed the economic interdependence between formal and informal sectors; what SLURC terms “hybrid value chains” and called for policies that support rather than threaten these essential livelihoods.
Dr. Andrea Rigon also emphasized that urban governance must go beyond state institutions, embracing community norms and informal regulatory mechanisms. These insights, he explained, can inform trade laws and enable more inclusive city planning.
Braima Koroma, SLURC’s Director of Research and Training, highlighted the practical challenges of integrating research into policymaking within Government systems. He introduced the concept of Area Action Plans, a planning model developed to coordinate development efforts at the community level.
Pilot initiatives using a four-phase model, diagnosis, believing, developing and defining, have brought together policymakers, planners and communities to co-design development strategies. Community mapping exercises, Braima Koroma noted, uncovered aspirations such as access to solar power and skills training, which were then incorporated into planning dialogues. A City Advisory Committee was also established to ensure inclusivity and representation in decision-making.
Abu Conteh, SLURC Senior Researcher, presented a research exploring the intersection of health outcomes and urban inequality in Freetown. He focused on how informal settlements, which have expanded post-Ebola and COVID-19, are often misunderstood as temporary, when in fact they are long-term, complex communities.
The SLURC Senior Researcher emphasized the need for health systems that are inclusive, accountable and responsive to these communities. His work revealed how health risks in informal areas are shaped by gender, governance and entrenched inequalities. He also discussed the limitations of local governance structures and the unequal power dynamics between service providers and residents.
Calling for multi-sectoral collaboration, Abu Conteh stressed the role of platforms like the Freetown City Learning Platform in bridging gaps between sectors. His research advocates for policies that are not just data-driven, but also socially and politically informed.
The launch event celebrated not only the book, but a broader legacy of community-based urban development and locally grounded research. Authors shared insights on the challenges of publishing from the Global South and reflected on the importance of democratizing knowledge—ensuring it is accessible, inclusive and driven by those most affected by urban change.
The event was also interlude with discussion by four discussants, Sarjoh Aziz Kamara, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Technical and Higher Education, Prof. Michael Walls, Dr. Percy Toriro, Yirah Conteh from reputable universities and organisations.
The event concluded with a shared call to action: to deepen partnerships, support local voices and work toward a just and sustainable urban future in Sierra Leone and beyond.
