World Bank report predicts massive urban growth in sub-Saharan Africa

A new World Bank report, “Sub-Saharan Africa’s Urban Awakening: Catalyzing Economic Growth and Job Creation,” forecasts an unprecedented demographic shift in sub-Saharan Africa. By 2050, the region is expected to host approximately 1.7 billion people in urban and peri-urban areas, up from 913 million in 2025.

The report predicts the emergence of several megacities with populations exceeding 10 million. Luanda, Angola, is projected to potentially overtake Lagos, Nigeria, as the largest metropolis in the region, with its population expected to reach 20.3 million. Other cities expected to surpass the 10 million mark include Kinshasa, Dar es Salaam, and Addis Ababa.

Significant growth is also anticipated in Bamako, Mali, which could see an 80 percent population increase, and Mogadishu, Somalia, which is projected to grow by 64 percent. As these cities expand, the report emphasizes the economic necessity of transforming urban centers into productive hubs capable of absorbing this rapid growth.