Introduction

With changing socioeconomic and cultural dynamics, environmental structures and settlement patterns have undergone major transformations: they have transformed from naturally rural to urban settings. Notably, Africa is the region with the greatest rate of urbanization and urban growth in contemporary times. African urbanization is propelled by a combination of factors, some of which force its inhabitants out of rural regions while others pull/draw them into cities. On one hand, the lack of basic amenities and the outbreak of environmental issues often force people out of rural cities. On the other hand, the availability or promise of socioeconomic opportunities – such as education, employment, and healthcare – attracts many, particularly young, people to urban areas. From ancient times, international rivers such as the Nile, Niger, and Senegal have contributed to urban development by transforming surrounding riparian zones into trade hubs and by serving as vital routes that connect distant and nearby settlements to these hubs. In contemporary times, the role of rivers in urbanization is observed in its provision of communication and transportation channels for the migration of persons from rural settlements to growing cities. However, there are some evident impacts, mostly negative, which urbanization and urban expansion have had on river systems, their ecology, and the ecosystems of riparian zones. To gain a deeper understanding of the interrelationship between rivers and cities, the discussion in this chapter will incorporate the ecological impacts of urbanization processes on river systems, the socioeconomic dynamics of the rivers–cities relationship, and workable mitigation and management strategies to redress such adverse implications.