Transitioning to electrified, automated and shared mobility in the Global South: a comparative review of Johannesburg, Kigali, Lagos and Nairobi

In this article, we focus intently on the drivers and barriers afforded by three innovations—automated vehicles, electric mobility, and ridesharing and bike sharing—in four African urban areas of Johannesburg (South Africa), Kigali (Rwanda), Lagos (Nigeria) and Nairobi (Kenya). Based on a review of the literature, we argue that these innovations are particularly important at providing low-carbon transition for the transport sector, even though low-carbon development is an important topic that is under-researched in many developing economies. We begin by introducing these three innovations and justifying our four case studies. We base the research design on an interdisciplinary literature review. We then discuss the results of our review, which is organized as a dualism of positive drivers and negative barriers, before discussing how to better harness innovation for low-carbon mobility in an African context. We conclude with implications for research and policy.