The 2017 edition of the EMnet Africa Policy Note provides insights and policy recommendations from the private sector on investment challenges in African cities. The note examines the latest macroeconomic trends on the continent and provides an overview of recent urbanisation policies, highlighting how policy makers are supporting private-sector led investments in African cities. The analysis builds on discussions from the business meeting held on 30 September 2016 at the OECD headquarters in Paris and organised by the OECD Emerging Markets Network (EMnet) as well as on the analysis of the African Economic Outlook 2016, in addition to desk research and bilateral discussions with EMnet members.