We recently came across an interesting summary of the development of Touba and its fascinating connection with global commerce while maintaining its unique character. The link is:

http://llnw.creamermedia.co.za/articles/attachments/01378_africancity.pdf

The article compares three West African cities which exploded over recent decades. Here's one of the insightful excerpts about Touba:

"More than half of all Touba households are described as primarily active in commerce and here imports and a consumer economy tied to the outer world, is especially significant. International remittances account for a huge share of income while the importation and dispersal of industrially produced goods from the whole world have taken over the Senegalese economy, so weak in “internationally competitive” productive activity. Touba makes sense as a town only if one starts to take stock of one major aspect of globalisation—the large-scale temporary or permanent movement of Africans, notably West Africans, to all corners of the globe, together with the decline in productive local activity."