According to a report from the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), Lagos, Johannesburg, and Cairo are expected to be Africa’s major economic centers by 2035. These cities are likely to grow quickly due to more people moving to urban areas, a rising population, and larger markets for goods and services.
The EIU believes that these cities will be at the top of the Africa100 list—which includes cities with the fastest-growing economies—because of increased industrial activity, improved infrastructure, and a more skilled workforce. Other cities such as Kinshasa, Dar es Salaam, and Addis Ababa are also expected to grow a lot, as long as they invest in better infrastructure.
But the report also warns that this fast growth will bring problems, like too many people in one place, poor living conditions in some areas, high unemployment, and overburdened services.
In 2023, Africa’s urban population is 650 million, and it’s expected to go over 1 billion by 2035, with more than half of the continent’s people living in cities.
