As the world’s population keeps rising, giant cities are appearing all around the world. And while places like London, New York and Tokyo still dominate, many of the fastest-growing cities are now in Africa, and they’re starting to make a serious impact on the global economy.
According to Business Insider Africa, the world’s second largest continent was home to several of the world’s fastest-growing cities in 2024. While these places may still make up a small share of the global economy, that’s changing fast, with many experts saying the next 25 years will see huge growth across the continent.
Topping the list of Africa’s best cities in 2025 is Cairo, Egypt’s capital.
The ranking, published in the Global Cities Index by Oxford Economics, measured cities by things like economy, human capital, quality of life and governance. Cairo came out on top in Africa and ranked 301st globally.
According to Macrotrends, Cairo’s metro area population in 2025 is over 23 million, which is a huge leap from under 2.5 million in 1950. Most of the growth has come from natural population increases, with birth rates far higher than death rates.
But Cairo isn’t just big, it’s also one of the richest cities in Africa. It is believed to be home to 7,200 millionaires and four billionaires, and it has one of the largest film and music industries in the Arab world.
It also has the Al-Azhar University, Egypt’s oldest higher education institution.
That said, Cairo’s huge size has brought challenges. Traffic congestion is severe, infrastructure is under pressure, and air pollution is among the worst in the world.
The World Health Organisation has previously warned that pollution levels in the city are nearly 12 times above safe limits, and some reports suggested it may contribute to 2% of all deaths in the area.
Still, the Egyptian capital is packed with culture, history and top tourist attractions.
According to CN Traveller, there’s never been a better time to visit, especially with the Grand Egyptian Museum expected to fully open in July 2025.
The museum will be the largest of its kind, with more than 50,000 artefacts, including the full Tutankhamun collection.
Other must-sees include the Pyramids of Giza and the Great Sphinx, the buzzing Khan El-Khalili bazaar, and the religious landmarks of Coptic Cairo.
All in all, the city is massive and mixes ancient history with modern life in a way few places can match.
