Land, Flows and Authority in Northern Ghana

Craig Kensley

17 Feb 2026

An exploratory analysis of how historical trade networks, customary land authority, statutory planning and regional value chains shape urban development in northern Ghana.

Developed through an EU-funded mission involving Expertise France and Les Ateliers de Cergy, the paper examines the tensions between inherited territorial systems and contemporary planning institutions, arguing that sustainable urban development must engage with the existing structures of authority, economic circulation and ecological dependence through which cities grow.