Figure 1 shows the countries with the highest percentages of Africa’s largest cities over the last 220 years. Given the scale and nature of economic, political and urban changes in Africa since 1800, there is perhaps a surprising extent of continuity.
Notably, Nigeria had the most cities for all years, although faced changes as some new cities became more prominent and some older cities – previously capitals of kingdoms and empires, and cities in the north, including those involved in the trans-Sahara trade, – lost importance.
Morocco and Egypt were also among those with the most cities for each year, but this has declined over 220 years.
Surprisingly, Congo PDR had none of Africa’s 100 largest cities up to 1950, and then seven of them by 2020. All seven cities were colonial foundations, with many established around mining for diamonds, gold and uranium. Consequently, it is often remarked upon as a country with vast wealth but very high levels of poverty.
Continuity and change
Of the 34 largest cities in Africa in 1800, eight were still in the 100 largest cities in Africa list in 2020, but with a lower rank, except for Cairo and Kano. Nine of the 34 cities were not in the 2020 cities list, but have more than 300,000 inhabitants today. So while cities can go up or down in the rankings, it is rare for them to lose significance altogether.
For instance, Sokoto may have fallen from the second largest city in Africa in 1800 to outside the top 100 in 2020, but it is still a substantial city with more than half a million inhabitants. Similarly, Meknes – Morocco’s capital before it moved to Rabat – fell from third to outside the top 100, but remains significant.
This is also the case for Oyo, Ife and Katsina in Nigeria. Cities that were to become Nigeria’s four largest cities in 2020 – Lagos, Ibadan, Port Harcourt and Abuja – had not even been founded in 1800. Meanwhile, many cities in Northern Africa, including Sokoto and Katsina along with those involved with the trans-Sahara trade, slipped down the rankings as using ships for trade became cheaper and quicker.
Only Cairo had no movement down the rankings, while five cities had drops of 0-50: Kumasi, El Djazaïr (Algiers), Rabat, Tunis and Abomay. Eight fell out of the top 100 cities in 2020, six of which were in Nigeria.
Urban population growth over time
In 1800, Cairo was the largest city in Africa, with 260,000 inhabitants. In 2020, Cairo remained the continent’s largest city but with more than 20 million inhabitants. The 34th largest city in 1800, Kairouan, had 20,000 inhabitants, while the 34th largest city in 2020, Brazzaville, had 2.4 million inhabitants.
Figure 2 shows not only how the average size of Africa’s largest cities changed dramatically from 1800 to 2020, but also how this average size – 2.77 million in 2020 – is relatively small in comparison to the global average of 9.5 million.
Figure 2: Average population of Africa’s largest cities (1800 to 2020)
What is the most populous capital city in Africa? What African capital city has the largest land area?
Cairo, the capital of Egypt, is the African capital with the largest population, about 7.9 million. When the surrounding metropolitan area is included, Cairo has a population of 14.8 million, making it the among the 20 largest cities in the world. Other large African capital cities include:
While it is not the capital, the urban area based around Lagos, Nigeria has a population of 11.4 million.
In land area, Cairo (104 square miles) and Lagos (56 square miles) are generally considered the largest in Africa. It is often difficult to estimate the size of African cities because recent urban sprawl has spilled into the surrounding countryside.
For more information on the world's largest cities check out our charts of the World's Most Populous Cities and World's Most Populous Urban Agglomerations.
-The Editors
Furthermore, researchers at the Global Cities Institute project that 13 of the world's largest megacities by the year 2100 will be located in Africa. Outside these 12, other cities like Lusaka, Abidjan, Ibadan, Cape Town, Giza, Kano, Casablanca, Algiers, and Kaduna would be hosting over 10 million people each.
As industrialisation and urbanisation continue to drive the continent's growth, let's take a look at its fastest-growing cities in 2021, combining both population and GDP data.
As the capital city of Ghana, Accra doubles as the country's largest city. When you factor in the city's status as an entertainment hub in Africa, Accra is an undisputable market in the region.
The city's population has risen from a little over 2 million to around 3.5 million since 2005. The nearby Tema Port makes Accra an essential player in the international trade scene.
Dakar is often regarded as one of Africa's historical cities. The city serves as the capital of Senegal, housing some of the best ports in Africa. Dakar is an important trade hub, especially between Europe and West Africa.
Dakar will see a 50% rise in its population between 2005 and 2025 as its inhabitants increase from 2.8 million to a little over 4.2 million.
Addis Ababa accommodates one in four urban Ethiopians; it is that influential. Serving as Ethiopia's capital and largest city, Addis Ababa has a population of about 4 million people. At the current growth rate, Addis Ababa is estimated to accommodate over 35 million people by 2100.
Even as early as 2025, Addis Ababa is expected to host 4.7 million population. This figure would confer it with the status of the world's largest city in a landlocked country.
7) Johannesburg, South Africa
Like Nairobi, Johannesburg is one of the top tourist destinations in Africa. Unlike Nairobi, it is the largest city in South Africa, located in the southern part of the country.
Since South Africa hosted the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Johannesburg's status as a modern city has steadily increased.
Nairobi hosts several foreign international organisations, including the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) headquarters. With a population potential of 6.5 million by 2025, Nairobi may not be one of those African cities with tens of millions of inhabitants, but it remains a powerhouse.
The East African city serves as the country's capital city and commercial hub. It has also remained a choice location for tourists visiting Africa thanks to its amazing wildlife and eco-diversity.
5) Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Dar es Salaam has over 6 million population, making it one of the largest cities in the African continent. While it may not be the Tanzanian government's capital seat, it houses several embassies and professional services firms.
The growth of Dar es Salaam has been attributed to migration and urbanisation. The Port of Des es Salaam also contributes significantly to economic activities within the city. About 6 million people live in Des es Salaam today. It is estimated to host over 70 million people by the end of the century.
This is the capital and largest city of Angola. Thanks to the nearby Port of Luanda, Angola trades its crude oil and other commodities through Luanda.
It has a population pegged around 7 million, which is a huge increase from 4.8 million in 2005.
Cairo is an ancient city dating back to prehistoric times. Yet, it remains a highly recognised city and the largest city in Africa by landmass.
While it is regarded as part of the Middle East, Cairo still serves as the central hub to the rest of the Arab world and especially North African countries beyond the Sahara.
In recent times, the city has had to find revolutionary solutions to its increasing population, which could become 40 million by 2100. As a result, there is a new development happening 40 kilometres East of Cairo. When completed, this new city will host an additional 7 million people.
2) Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
Formerly referred to as Zaire, Congo is a French-speaking country in Central Africa. Kinshasa, the country's capital, is also the most populated city in the country. Just in 2005, Kinshasa had a population of about 10 million people. In 2025, however, it is estimated that this powerful city will be hosting 18 million people.
Although not as famous as some African cities, including Johannesburg, Cairo, and Lagos, Kinshasa is an important commerce hub for all of Central Africa. Kinshasa is expected to be the world's second-largest city in 2100, with about 84 million inhabitants.
Once the capital city of Nigeria, Lagos ceded that title to Abuja in 1991. The government cited the city's sprawling population as a factor as it became increasingly difficult to lower the population influx into the country's biggest market.
Today, Lagos has over 20 million inhabitants. Some sources claim the population is closer to 25 million. It is the industrial and commercial hub of Africa's most populous country. By 2050, it has been estimated that Lagos would have a population of 45 million and a much younger workforce.