Top ten African countries by arable land in hectares as of 2024

  • Nigeria leads Africa in total arable land with 36,872,000 hectares, more than twice that of Niger, the second-ranking country.
  • Niger ranks second with 17,700,000 hectares.
  • The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) ranks third with 13,680,000 hectares, revealing the role of Central Africa in agricultural land availability.
  • Other notable countries include Chad (5.3M hectares), Zambia (3.8M hectares), and Guinea (3.1M hectares).
  • The countries at the bottom of the top ten list, such as Congo (550,000 hectares), Liberia (500,000 hectares), and Mauritania (450,000 hectares), have relatively limited arable land compared to leading nations.

Across Africa, the availability of arable land varies widely. Nigeria's dominance in total arable land shows its agricultural capacity,  seconded  by Niger, despite its desert conditions. Third on the list, the DR Congo's position is particularly notable, given its dense forest cover and significant natural resources, demonstrating its untapped agricultural potential. At the lower end of the list, Congo, Liberia, and Mauritania show smaller arable land areas, probably due to geographical constraints such as dense rainforests, rugged terrain, or desert landscapes.

Source:

World Bank

Period:

2024
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