Sub-Saharan Africa Cities by Population 2026

Sub-Saharan Africa Cities Overview

Lagos stands as the region’s largest metropolis with 9M residents, followed by Kinshasa with 7.8M inhabitants. These two megacities significantly outsize other urban centers in the region.

Nigeria dominates the urban landscape with multiple major cities, including Kano (3.6M), Ibadan (3.6M), and several other cities above 1 million residents such as Kaduna (1.6M) and Port Harcourt (1.1M).

South Africa features a significant urban network, led by Cape Town (3.4M), Durban (3.1M), and Johannesburg (2M). Major regional capitals include Addis Ababa (2.8M), Nairobi (2.8M), and Dar es Salaam (2.7M).