Africa to become home to world’s second-largest urban population after Asia by 2050

Africa to become home to world’s second-largest urban population after Asia by 2050
Africa to become home to world’s second-largest urban population after Asia by 2050 - A section of the Nairobi Expressway in Kenya's capital city. Nairobi has been ranked 56th globally and 6th in Sub-Saharan Africa in the latest Global Attractiveness Index.(Photo: Xinhua/Dong Jianghui)
A section of the Nairobi Expressway in Kenya's capital city. Nairobi has been ranked 56th globally and 6th in Sub-Saharan Africa in the latest Global Attractiveness Index.(Photo: Xinhua/Dong Jianghui)

Listen to article

3 min listen
Audio reading is not supported on this browser.
Ready

Thanks for listening. Continue with a related story, or tap the speaker icon on the next page to listen.

Related story

A Super El Niño is coming: Five hard‑won lessons the world can learn from Africa

The Conversation  ·  1 week ago
Read next Opens a fresh page.

Nigeria and Egypt are projected to record the continent’s largest urban populations by 2050, with both countries expected to rank among the world’s top ten countries with the largest urban populations.

Africa is set to undergo one of the fastest urban transformations globally, with its urban population projected to double by 2050, making the continent home to the world’s second-largest urban population after Asia.
Projections by Africapolis, a research tool developed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), show Africa’s urban population will increase by 704 million people over the next three decades, rising from about 700 million currently to 1.4 billion by 2050.
The surge will be driven by overall population growth, with Africa’s total population expected to reach 2.2 billion by 2050. About 80 per cent of this growth will occur in urban areas, accelerating the continent’s transition towards a predominantly urban population.

More To Read

Asia is projected to remain the continent with the largest urban population globally, with about 3.5 billion urban residents by 2050. 
“Africa’s urban transition poses both an urgent challenge and an unparalleled opportunity,” the report notes.
The share of Africans living in cities will also increase significantly, rising from 54 per cent in 2020 to 65 per cent by 2050.

Latest Stories

This means that two out of every three Africans will live in cities by mid-century.
Only 12 African countries, mainly in West Africa, are expected to have urbanisation levels below 50 per cent by 2050.
The growth will be particularly pronounced in Africa’s largest economies.
Nigeria and Egypt are projected to record the continent’s largest urban populations by 2050, with both countries expected to rank among the world’s top ten countries with the largest urban populations.
Nigeria’s urban population is forecast to reach about 250 million people, placing it fourth globally, while Egypt is projected to have an urban population of about 147 million, also securing a place among the global top ten.
The rapid rise in urban populations will be accompanied by the expansion of urban settlements across the continent.
Africapolis projects that the number of urban agglomerations in Africa will increase from about 9,000 in 2020 to more than 11,000 by 2050.
By then, Africa is expected to have 159 urban agglomerations with populations exceeding one million people and 17 megacities with more than 10 million inhabitants.
However, the report warns that managing this growth will require significant investment in infrastructure, including housing, transport systems, commercial facilities, schools, healthcare and public services.

Other Topics To Read

Top Stories Today

Comments

0
Loading comments...

Trending

News | |
Somalia | |
News | |
Politics | |
Business | |
News | |
News | |
News | |
World | |
Politics | |

Latest Stories

MSF warns delays costing lives in eastern DRC as Ebola deaths top 700
Democratic Republic Of Congo | |
All eCitizen payments to go offline for five hours as platform undergoes system upgrade on Saturday
Headlines | |
DCI busts Kasarani mobile phone theft syndicate, recovers 200 devices
City Affairs | |
Ol Kalou by-election: Police say vehicles without number plates will be impounded
Headlines | |
Team Kenya departs as first contingent heads to 2026 Commonwealth Games
News | |
Africa to become home to world’s second-largest urban population after Asia by 2050
Business | |
Ex-Somali President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed warns against early withdrawal of international troops
Headlines | |
UN agencies raise alarm over missing hundreds of migrants off the coast of Myanmar
Headlines | |
Malala flags slow KIEMS kits in Ol Kalou by-election, cites delays in voter identification
Headlines | |
Live blog: Huge voter turnout in Ol Kalou as by-election gets underway
Headlines | |
Renewed US-Iran conflict pushes oil prices to one-month high of Sh10,995 a barrel
Business | |
Court declines to reinstate Coca-Cola workers' spouses to medical scheme, matter to go to full hearing
Headlines | |

Popular Stories This Week

Heavy rains forecast across Kenya this weekend, residents urged to take precautions
Charity Kilei |
Tanzania bans use of foreign currencies for local transactions
Maureen Kinyanjui |
Pakistan working on second round of US-Iran peace talks - reports
DW News |
Turkish airlines to suspend 18 international routes starting May
Mary Wambui |
KMTC announces 5,000 training slots for March 2025 intake
Charles Adinda |
State directs Saccos to cover losses from KUSCCO scandal
Eastleigh Voice Reporter |
Govt to slash civil servants’ hardship allowances in policy overhaul, saving Sh6bn annually
Maureen Kinyanjui |
Denmark suspends green-sector work permit processing for applicants from Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania
Rachael Mutabasi |
Forgot your Safaricom number? Here is a simple way to get it
Margaret Wanjiru |
Defence CS Soipan Tuya among 52 graduates at National Defence College ceremony
Mary Wambui |
Gachagua impeachment challenged in Court as lawyers allege constitutional violations
Carolyne Kubwa |
Marathon world record holder Sawe receives heroic welcome after historic London Marathon triumph
Erick Kariuki |
KCSE exam results to be released in January as KNEC enhances cheating scrutiny
Maureen Kinyanjui |
OpenAI reportedly building AI-powered smartphone to rival iPhone
Margaret Wanjiru |
Sabastian Sawe, Hellen Obiri carry Kenya’s hopes in London Marathon showdown
Amina Wako |
Details of the new salary structure, housing allowance changes for civil servants
Maureen Kinyanjui |
Passport shock: Kenyans to pay Sh12,500 as cheaper options disappear from eCitizen portal
Lucy Mumbi |
From endometriosis, IVF to loss and healing: A journey through motherhood and grief in the ‘Circle of Hope’
Charity Kilei |
UN: Don't allow Israel-Iran conflict to spark new refugee crisis
DW News |
Exclusive: Somali referee Omar Artan secures US visa, cleared to officiate at 2026 FIFA World Cup
Bashir Mbuthia |
How to make eesh/ceesh, the light everyday bread loved in Eastleigh
Margaret Wanjiru |
Somalia’s risky power extension amid emerging rivalries
Addis Standard |
Nairobi set for rail transformation as gov’t, World Bank partner on 10 major commuter projects
Lucy Mumbi |
OPINION: Shifting alliances, growing threats: Eritrea’s shadow over Tigray, rising risks across northern Ethiopia
Addis Standard |
Rwanda, Tanzania set to fast-track Dar–Kigali SGR in new trade shift
The New Times |
Instagram finally lets users reorder 'carousel posts' after publishing
Margaret Wanjiru |
How to change your name or unlist your number on Truecaller
Margaret Wanjiru |
TSC plans promotion of over 30,000 teachers by 2026 pending Sh2 billion funding
Rachael Mutabasi |
Nairobi apartment prices fall in key suburbs amid oversupply and weak demand
Alfred Onyango |
Nairobi court dismisses money laundering count against Mike Sonko, orders defence on tender charges
Carolyne Kubwa |