Abstract
Public spaces in sub-Saharan African cities are undergoing redevelopment, which results in the displacement of informal workers. Despite statutory rule, customary laws still play a role in land use. “Commoning” in Kumasi, Ghana’s second-largest city, where informality is widespread, is examined using a new institutionalist approach. Through qualitative methods, an analysis of informal workers’ collective management of public spaces through prevailing customary rules and norms shows that informality is a significant aspect of these cities, maintained by local institutions that are often ignored by planning policies. The proposition is that commoning could offer a more inclusive approach to urban governance.