The 50 Largest Cities in Africa by Population

What We're Showing

This map ranks Africa’s 50 most populous cities in 2025, based on data from the UN World Urbanization Prospects 2025.

Key Takeaways

• Cairo is Africa’s largest city by a wide margin, with over 25.5 million residents in 2025.
• Nigeria’s Lagos ranks second with nearly 12.8 million residents, followed closely by Luanda in Angola and Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. 
• Nigeria places nine cities in the top 50, more than any other country.
• Many of Africa’s urban areas are projected to double in size within the next 25 years.