Recent research in Cameroon, Ghana and Tanzania has revealed major drivers of rural livelihood transformations and local development. Thanks to improved connectivity, greater mobility and better rural-city connections, rural people are diversifying their livelihoods and transforming agricultural production systems. This has created rural non-farm labour opportunities, which in turn stimulates positive socioeconomic dynamics in the regions. But it has also triggered challenges. Without government support for large-scale investment in infrastructure and regional planning, not everyone benefits to the same extent. Positive government-led measures could foster local and regional development in sub-Saharan Africa — recognising that livelihood transformation and mobility dynamics are essential not only to individual households but to society at large.