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Accra, Ghana  ·  Founded 2024  ·  Serving Africa

Cities built for
people,
not just cars.

Safe Cities Foundation transforms African urban mobility and spatial planning through data-driven advocacy, community-led design, and the optimisation of shared urban spaces for every resident.

Registered NGO, Ghana
Pan-African Mandate
Evidence-Based Practice
54+
African Cities in Focus
🇬🇭
Based in Accra, Ghana
5+
Community Engagements
3+
Research Studies Active
15+
Partners Engaged
1M+
Residents We Aim to Serve

Transforming how African cities move and grow

Safe Cities Foundation is a Ghanaian non-governmental organisation working at the intersection of urban mobility, spatial planning, and civic advocacy. We believe the future of African cities must be shaped by the people who live in them — not by car-centric legacies inherited from elsewhere.

As a new organisation, we bring fresh energy and evidence-based methods to one of the continent's most urgent challenges: how do we build cities that are safe, sustainable, and genuinely inclusive for every resident — regardless of income, gender, age, or ability?

From the streets of Accra to communities across sub-Saharan Africa, we partner with governments, development institutions, community groups, and residents to reshape the urban experience through research, advocacy, and co-design.

Registered NGO · Accra, Ghana — Serving the wider African continent. Established 2024 with a mandate for people-centred urban transformation.

Our Vision

A future where African cities are designed for people — compact, resilient, and inclusive urban spaces where every citizen can thrive.

Our Mission

To transform African urban mobility and spatial planning through data-driven advocacy, community-led design, and the optimisation of shared urban spaces for all.

Our Values

Inclusion
Evidence
Community
Equity

Our Focus Areas

Six interconnected programs driving sustainable, people-centred urban change across Ghana and the wider African continent.

Urban Mobility Advocacy

We campaign for safe, affordable, and sustainable transportation systems — from Bus Rapid Transit corridors and pedestrian walkways to cycling infrastructure — that serve all Ghanaians equally and prioritise non-motorised transport.

Community-Led Spatial Planning

We embed directly into communities to co-design public spaces, markets, transit hubs, and streetscapes — ensuring local voices and indigenous knowledge shape the urban environments they inhabit and depend on.

Data-Driven Research

We collect, analyse, and publish urban mobility data to inform evidence-based policy. Our work on commuter patterns, pedestrian safety hotspots, and spatial inequity drives decision-making at the city and national level.

Policy Engagement

We engage government ministries, city authorities, and development partners to champion transformative policies — from inclusive zoning codes to road safety legislation and integrated transport master plans for Ghanaian cities.

Capacity Building

We run training programmes, fellowships, and workshops to develop the next generation of African urban practitioners — planners, advocates, data scientists, and community leaders who will shape our cities from within.

Knowledge Exchange

We facilitate South-South learning between African cities, connecting urban practitioners and policymakers across the continent to share lessons, best practices, and innovations in mobility and spatial planning.

Three pillars driving change

Every Safe Cities Foundation initiative is grounded in these three mutually-reinforcing principles.

01

Advocacy

We engage government, city authorities, and international development partners to champion policies that prioritise people over vehicles — from pedestrian infrastructure and cycle lanes to integrated public transport systems and inclusive urban zoning.

Policy & Governance
02

Co-Design

Residents know their neighbourhoods best. We facilitate participatory design processes that put community knowledge, lived experience, and cultural context at the heart of every project — from informal market redesigns to new transit corridors.

Community-Led
03

Evidence

From GIS mapping and pedestrian counts to commuter surveys and road safety analytics, we build the data infrastructure that African cities need to make smarter, fairer, and more sustainable planning decisions grounded in local realities.

Data & Research

Projects & Initiatives

On-the-ground projects and research initiatives we are driving across Ghana and beyond.

View All Projects →
Urban Mobility Safety

Accra Pedestrian Safety Audit

A systematic street-level assessment of pedestrian infrastructure across five high-density neighbourhoods in Accra, identifying critical gaps in walkway provision, crossing safety, street lighting, and accessibility for persons with disabilities.

Spatial Planning Co-Design

Agbogbloshie Market Space Redesign

Working alongside traders, residents, and local authorities in Agbogbloshie to co-design a safer, more functional market layout — improving vendor flow, sanitation access, waste management, and accessibility for all users.

Research Data

Ghana Urban Mobility Data Initiative

Building a publicly accessible dataset on commuter patterns, trotro route coverage, road incident hotspots, and informal transit networks across Greater Accra — to power smarter, evidence-based policy decisions.

Transport Policy Advocacy

Greater Accra BRT Corridor Feasibility

An advocacy and technical support initiative to advance Bus Rapid Transit development along key corridors in Greater Accra — including route analysis, ridership modelling, and stakeholder engagement with the Ministry of Transport.

Making measurable change

As a young organisation, we are already building a track record of meaningful urban transformation across Ghana and the African continent.

5+
Community engagements and co-design sessions completed
3+
Active research studies on urban mobility and safety
15+
Partner organisations across government, civil society, and international development
1M+
Urban residents we are committed to serving across the continent
"Safe Cities Foundation brings exactly what Accra's urban planning dialogue has been missing — rigorous data combined with genuine community voice. Their work is already influencing how we think about pedestrian infrastructure."
— Urban Planning Stakeholder, Accra Metropolitan Assembly
"The co-design workshop for our market space was unlike anything we had experienced before. They actually listened, came back multiple times, and helped us articulate what we needed in language planners could act on."
— Market Trader Association Representative, Agbogbloshie, Accra

Latest from Safe Cities

View All Publications →
News

Community Workshop Transforms Agbogbloshie Market Planning Process

Over 80 traders and residents participated in our two-day participatory design sprint, generating 12 actionable spatial redesign proposals for the market complex.

January 2025
Event

Safe Cities Foundation Presents at 2nd African Cities Mobility Summit, Nairobi

Our Executive Director presented our data-driven advocacy framework to 200+ urban planners and policymakers at this landmark continental gathering.

November 2024
Advocacy

SCF Submits Evidence to Ghana National Transport Policy Review Panel

We submitted a comprehensive evidence brief urging prioritisation of non-motorised transport and pedestrian safety in Ghana's updated National Transport Policy.

October 2024

Partners, Supporters & Collaborators

Partner with us to build better cities

Whether you are a researcher, city official, international donor, community leader, or development partner — we want to hear from you. Every collaboration moves us closer to the cities Africans deserve.

Location
Accra, Greater Accra Region, Ghana
Email
info@safecitiesfoundation.org
Phone
+233 (0) 000 000 000

Send us a message

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