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.
Kinshasa, the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is among the world’s fastest-growing megacities. Formerly known as Léopoldville until 1966, it has an estimated population of 17 million as of 2024, making it the most populous city in the country and the third-largest metropolitan area in Africa. It is also the fourth-most populous capital city globally.
Located along the southern bank of the Congo River, Kinshasa serves as the nation’s primary economic, political, and cultural hub.
The city supports a wide range of industries, including manufacturing, telecommunications, banking, and entertainment. It is also home to several key national institutions, such as the People’s Palace, the Palace of the Nation, the Constitutional Court, and the Martyrs Stadium.
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