BY
Similarly, as the population of Africa has increased over the years, cities with high levels of industrialisation, urbanisation, and economic activities experience immigration and a fast-growing rate.
According to Brahima Coulibaly, director of Brookings’ Africa Growth Initiative, “About half of the world’s fastest-growing economies will be located on the continent, with 20 economies expanding at an average rate of 5% or higher over the next five years, faster than the 3.6% rate for the global economy.”
By 2050, Africa’s population is anticipated to reach about 2 billion inhabitants, and more economic activities are taking place, counterbalancing the increasing population.
According to the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) research, here are the top 10 fastest growing African cities.
1. Accra, Ghana
Accra, the capital, administrative and economic city of Ghana, is the largest in Ghana. It is the home for the significant government and non-governmental ministries, insurance firms, the head offices of banks, and the big markets which import most of the food supply. Furthermore, the city is near the Tema Port, a central cross-country border for Ghanian international trade.
With a growth rate of 49%, the population of Accra is expected to increase to 3.6M from a population of 2.3M in 2005.
2. Ibadan, Nigeria
Ibadan is the largest city in Nigeria by landmass and the third most populated city after Lagos and Kano. There are many economic activities in Ibadan in virtually every street and suburb, and it is situated relatively close to the commercial hub Lagos (130 km), making the city particularly attractive for entrepreneurs.
The commercial activities in Ibadan include agriculture, trade, handicrafts, manufacturing and, the running costs are much lower than in Lagos. As of 2021, the total population in Ibadan is approximately 3.7M people, with the city anticipated to grow by 49% to a projected population of 4M in 2025.
3. Lagos, Nigeria
