Africa's urban population, currently at 45%, is forecasted to exceed 50% by 2035

  • Africa’s urban population has grown more than twelvefold, from 53 million in 1960 to nearly 700 million by 2025.
  • The share of Africans living in urban areas has risen from 18.7% in 1960 to 45% in 2025, and is projected to hit 57% by 2045.
  • Africa will reach a 50% urban population by 2035, where half of its population will reside in cities.
  • From 2000 to 2025, Africa’s urban population nearly tripled, highlighting the intensity of recent growth.
  • By 2045, 1.3 billion Africans will live in urban centres, making city development central to the continent’s progress.

Africa’s urban population has been expanding at an extraordinary pace over the last decades, with the number of people living in cities growing from just 53 million in 1960 to nearly 700 million by 2025. This growth has not only been in absolute numbers but also the share of the continent’s total population, rising from 18.7% in 1960 to a projected 57% by 2045. What this shows is a structural shift: more Africans are leaving rural communities for urban centres in search of better economic opportunities, infrastructure, and services.

By 2035, Africa is projected to cross 50%, where one out of every two Africans will live in urban areas. This tipping point signals a future where cities will increasingly become the heartbeat of the continent’s economic, social, and political life. The rapid urbanisation trend is already reshaping consumer markets, driving demand for housing, transportation, energy, and jobs, while also amplifying challenges like congestion, pollution, and inequality.

Source:

Worldometer

Period:

1960-2045
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Over the last 76 years, Africa's population has increased from being less than half (228M) that of Europe to doubling Europe (1.6B)
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  • Asia remains the most populated continent, reaching 4.8B people in 2025, up from 1.4B in 1950.
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  • Oceania saw a 270% increase, though it remains the least populated continent at 47M people.
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  • Egypt (118M) and Sudan (52M) are Northern Africa’s population leaders.
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  • In West Africa, Nigeria (238M) and Ghana (35M) are the most populous, showing a wide gap within the region.
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  • Resource-rich countries like Libya (78%), Botswana (76%), and Algeria (74%) show strong urbanisation patterns.
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  • Oceania’s median age stands at 33.4 years, slightly higher than Asia’s.
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