Largest economies: This is the position of Accra and Kumasi in Africa
The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) predicts that Accra and Kumasi, two of Ghana’s major cities, will become the 15th and 16th largest economies in Africa by 2035.
Accra is expected to fall from its current 13th position to 15th by 2035, while Kumasi will climb from 19th to 16th.
Accra’s economy is projected to grow at an average rate of 6.7% annually, whereas Kumasi’s economy is expected to expand at 7.4% per year.
Greater Cairo will remain the largest economy in Africa, followed by Greater Johannesburg and Lagos in 2nd and 3rd place, respectively.
Kumasi will rank just ahead of Abuja (17th), Kampala (18th), Kano (19th), and Algiers (20th).
The continent’s major urban centres—like Cairo, Lagos, and Johannesburg—will still lead Africa’s top 100 city economies by 2035.
In 2023, the combined nominal GDP of these cities stood at $1.4 trillion, and by 2035, this number is expected to more than triple, reaching over $5 trillion.
According to the Economist Intelligence Unit, by mid-2030s, Africa’s top 100 city economies will be home to nearly 400 million people, about 21% of the continent’s population.
These cities, which include both mega-populations and smaller capitals like Libreville, Cotonou, and Port Louis, will generate over 60% of Africa’s GDP.
The report highlights that Africa will continue to experience the fastest urbanization rate of any major region through 2035.
It projects that Africa’s urban population will grow from about 650 million in 2023 to nearly one billion by 2035, with a compound annual growth rate of around 3.5%. This growth will push the proportion of Africans living in cities and towns above 50% by 2035.
East, Central, and West Africa are expected to see the highest rates of urban population growth during this period.
The report also notes that Africa’s demographic and economic future will feature the rise of new urban powerhouses and megacities, the rapid expansion of city clusters, and the increasing significance of megalopolises.