@davidpilling

FT Africa Editor. One of Time’s 7.7bn most important people. Author: The Growth Delusion; Bending Adversity. Asia & Africa 'expert'. Speaker

 home
ft.com/david-pilling
Joined September 2009
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  • Following3.4K
  • Followers30.3K
1.9KMedia
Rwanda, by making its own clothes, is doing what we pretend we want of poor nations: to wean themselves off charity ft.com/content/44b5cb2e-73a9…
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Petina Gappah@VascoDaGappahOct 22
My favourite paper in the world is the FT. I love everything about it, the muscular heft and seriousness, and also the sense of fun -How To Spend It, anyone? And I love that the FT takes Africa seriously. Here's my brilliant friend @davidpilling.
Financial Times
@FTOct 20
In 1950, there were 228mn people living in Africa, with about 33mn in cities. Today there are 1.6bn Africans, 19% of the world’s total, of whom 670mn live in cities. Almost unnoticed, Africa has become an urban story, explains the FT's David Pilling. ft.trib.al/XZw6TGM
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Financial Times
@FTOct 20
In 1950, there were 228mn people living in Africa, with about 33mn in cities. Today there are 1.6bn Africans, 19% of the world’s total, of whom 670mn live in cities. Almost unnoticed, Africa has become an urban story, explains the FT's David Pilling. ft.trib.al/XZw6TGM
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Mohammed Dewji MO
@moodewjiOct 19
Africa is urbanising at an extraordinary pace. Dar es Salaam’s population has grown 25-fold since 1975! This is Africa’s opportunity: to turn population growth into industrialisation, jobs and prosperity. @davidpilling
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Alec Russell@AlecuRussellOct 19
A remarkable piece of journalism on the explosive growth of Africa's cities. Without sentiment or overblown expectations it sheds rare light on the continent's prospects the day after tomorrow. Must read ahead of #FTAfrica summit
david pilling@davidpillingOct 18
Our dispatch from the biggest city you've never heard of w/ @jacob_judah Africa’s explosive growth in cities ft.com/content/5203e527-ebdd… via @ft

Africa’s explosive growth in cities

The continent’s urban centres are set to expand by 19mn people annually, or by nearly two Londons a year. But urbanisation is not following a familiar path

ft.com
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...@BeingUllahOct 18
Good read. Africa is experiencing rapid urbanization without the benefits. Industrialization precedes agglomeration; the reverse is the case in Africa. Most African cities are unplanned & lack the tax base and state capacity that enabled cities in China & Asia.
david pilling@davidpillingOct 18
Our dispatch from the biggest city you've never heard of w/ @jacob_judah Africa’s explosive growth in cities ft.com/content/5203e527-ebdd… via @ft

Africa’s explosive growth in cities

The continent’s urban centres are set to expand by 19mn people annually, or by nearly two Londons a year. But urbanisation is not following a familiar path

ft.com
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Kurtis Lockhart
@kurtislockhartOct 18
Absolute banger of an essay on African cities from @Jacob_Judah @davidpilling @FT !! Thread of excerpts below ⬇️ "Cities are the crucible of modernity. Their rise in Africa will affect everything from income and economic growth to social attitudes and politics." 🌆🌆
david pilling@davidpillingOct 18
Our dispatch from the biggest city you've never heard of w/ @jacob_judah Africa’s explosive growth in cities ft.com/content/5203e527-ebdd… via @ft

Africa’s explosive growth in cities

The continent’s urban centres are set to expand by 19mn people annually, or by nearly two Londons a year. But urbanisation is not following a familiar path

ft.com
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Paul Novosad
@paulnovosadOct 18
Essential reading. The future well-being of ~6 billion people depends on making cities work in low-income countries. So far we're doing meh.
david pilling@davidpillingOct 18
Our dispatch from the biggest city you've never heard of w/ @jacob_judah Africa’s explosive growth in cities ft.com/content/5203e527-ebdd… via @ft

Africa’s explosive growth in cities

The continent’s urban centres are set to expand by 19mn people annually, or by nearly two Londons a year. But urbanisation is not following a familiar path

ft.com
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Mark Lutter
@MarkLutterOct 18
Also, @davidpilling is speaking at our New Cities Summit. You should come newcitiessummit.org/

New Cities Summit 2026

Innovating the business of building cities. December 7–8, 2026 — Johannesburg.

newcitiessummit.org
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Mark Lutter
@MarkLutterOct 18
Replying to @DrJPPham @FT @davidpilling @Jacob_Judah
xitter.cf/MarkLutter/status/2111…
Mark Lutter
@MarkLutterOct 18
Good article on African urbanization. It captures two important elements. 1) the pace of urbanization and 2) the lack of accompanying industrialization or productivity gains
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From @FT’s @davidpilling & @Jacob_Judah a closer look at #Africa’s rapid urbanization which “will affect everything from income and economic growth to social attitudes and politics. It will also have a powerful impact on Africa’s relations with the world.” ft.com/content/5203e527-ebdd…

Africa’s explosive growth in cities

The continent’s urban centres are set to expand by 19mn people annually, or by nearly two Londons a year. But urbanisation is not following a familiar path

ft.com
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Kurtis Lockhart
@kurtislockhartOct 18
🌆🌆
david pilling@davidpillingOct 18
Our dispatch from the biggest city you've never heard of w/ @jacob_judah Africa’s explosive growth in cities ft.com/content/5203e527-ebdd… via @ft

Africa’s explosive growth in cities

The continent’s urban centres are set to expand by 19mn people annually, or by nearly two Londons a year. But urbanisation is not following a familiar path

ft.com
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Tina S. Mehnpaine@TMehnpaineOct 18
Replying to @davidpilling @Jacob_Judah @FT
I enjoyed reading this piece.
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Our dispatch from the biggest city you've never heard of w/ @jacob_judah Africa’s explosive growth in cities ft.com/content/5203e527-ebdd… via @ft

Africa’s explosive growth in cities

The continent’s urban centres are set to expand by 19mn people annually, or by nearly two Londons a year. But urbanisation is not following a familiar path

ft.com
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Watching this closely … Nigeria offers fuel discount in ‘pre-election sweetener’ via @FT as.ft.com/r/a61ae7f2-b3d9-4d…

Nigeria offers fuel discount in ‘pre-election sweetener’

Move risks unnerving international investors wary about setbacks to President Bola Tinubu’s reform programme

ft.com
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Carlos Lopes
@LopesInsightsSep 12
Replying to @davidpilling
@davidpilling writes about the new map. This and more: “And Africa is not a small appendage to the world,” Lopes added, referring to an internet meme depicting China, India, western Europe, the US and Japan all fitting snugly into the African continent." ft.com/content/8295eeea-0114…

Africa redraws the map

For centuries the continent has been made to seem smaller than it is. Now the UN has adopted a projection with more accurate proportions

ft.com
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Fascinating obituary- Zhu Rongji, reforming Chinese premier, 1928-2026 via @FT as.ft.com/r/70392eaa-563b-46…

Zhu Rongji, reforming Chinese premier, 1928-2026

Jiang Zemin’s right-hand man laid the foundation for the country’s leap to economic superpower

ft.com
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Magdalena Miecznicka@miecznickaAug 8
So much fantastic stuff in this book.
david pilling@davidpillingAug 6
Did you know that a secretary working at a literary agency found Catch 22 in a slush pile & made Joseph Heller (& herself) famous? Nor did I. For this & other fascinating snippets...ft.com/content/45bd25fe-d403… via @ft

Middlemen by Laura B McGrath — literature’s power brokers

An insider’s look at publishing argues that literary agents have shaped genres, global reputations and the economics of modern fiction

ft.com
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Alec Russell@AlecuRussellAug 8
Wonderful to be back on Weekend @bbcworldservice tomorrow with @chiggi - on everything from the woes of Lebanon, Infantino and Ukraine to Freud, Scottish folk songs and yes the Odyssey, which will surely feature in all the sections - led by the indefatigable Julian Worricker
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Did you know that a secretary working at a literary agency found Catch 22 in a slush pile & made Joseph Heller (& herself) famous? Nor did I. For this & other fascinating snippets...ft.com/content/45bd25fe-d403… via @ft

Middlemen by Laura B McGrath — literature’s power brokers

An insider’s look at publishing argues that literary agents have shaped genres, global reputations and the economics of modern fiction

ft.com
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Gideon Rachman
@gideonrachmanJul 20
Time for Charles to remind Andy that technically Charles is King of the North
alessandra rizzo
@alessandrarizzoJul 20
King of the North meets King to officially become PM 📸PA
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