Africa is on the cusp of a historic population boom, one that is already reshaping its urban centers and redefining its global significance.
With a total population of 1.5 billion as of 2024, growing by 100 million every three years, the continent has become the focal point for the next wave of global innovation, business, and finance.
This article highlights the most likely hotspots for population bursts across Africa, its largest and fastest-growing cities.
Initial projections showed that by 2025, each of the top 10 cities will be home to millions, with the top cities already exceeding 4 million residents.
These urban centers are absorbing the lion’s share of the continent’s growth, signaling where infrastructure, investment, and innovation will be most urgently needed.
By 2050, Africa’s population is expected to reach 2.5 billion, with 80% of that growth concentrated in cities. Countries like Nigeria, projected to have an urban population of 250 million, and Egypt, with 147 million, will rank among the most urbanized nations globally.
The population of Johannesburg has reached an estimated 6,444,580 in 2025, according to the latest data from the United Nations’ World Urbanization Prospects. The figure reflects a 1.9 percent increase over the past year, representing an addition of approximately 120,230 residents.
The new estimate shows the city’s continued demographic expansion, a trend that has persisted since the mid-20th century. In 1950, Johannesburg was home to just over 910,000 people. The city’s population has grown more than sevenfold in the decades since, driven by urban migration, economic opportunity, and the sprawl of suburban developments.
The report defines Johannesburg’s population as part of its broader urban agglomeration, which encompasses not only the city proper but also neighboring suburban areas that have become increasingly integrated with the metropolitan core.
As one of Africa’s most prominent economic hubs, Johannesburg’s steady population growth presents both opportunities and challenges in urban planning, infrastructure, and service delivery.
This is not true, Kano Nigeria also has more than 10 million people and it is not in the list
This is not true, Kano Nigeria also has more than 10 million people and it is not on the list