It has a population of over 20.4 million. It is the country’s second-largest city by population after Lagos.

Banking, finance, telecommunications, and tourism sectors are also booming in Luanda. It has a population of 21 million. Though engineered for Addis Ababa, where 80% of the urban population lives in slums, the architectural exercise has a broader story to tell; that of a new architectural ethos, an urban vernacular for African cities coping with an unprecedented surge in demand for urban growth. The challenge is already being met by studies such as Arup’s Future Proofing City studies, detailing the firm’s work in nine cities across four countries: Ethiopia, Ghana, Mozambique, and Uganda. Also, crime is spilling over from the slums to city, hotels, and beaches. Africa, meanwhile, will host 13 out of 20, including the top 3. No meaningful census has been conducted in the city. The most pronounced threat in Kano comes from terrorist attacks prominent in the north perpetrated by Boko Haram. In recent years, Luanda has gained a reputation as one of the most expensive cities. The 565 square-kilometer Dar es Salaam is Tanzania’s largest city.

Casablanca is the largest city in Morocco. Wealth from the mining and oil sectors has catalyzed a boom in construction in Luanda as high-rise offices and posh homes are built.

Its economy is anchored largely by tourism.

It has a population of 21 million. According to a World Bank report, 70% of Dar es Salaam's residents live on about a dollar a day in informal, unplanned settlements which lack proper roads, water, and proper sanitation facilities. Johannesburg is the largest city in South Africa, and the capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in the country. The city contributes US$46 billion to the Egyptian economy every year. The firm’s proposal for the managed growth of these cities differs depending on local circumstances; from the “Uganda Vision 2040” which aims to activate five regional and strategic secondary cities in an act of decentralization, while the Mozambique model centers on the evolution of “growth corridors” encompassing transport, logistics, trade, economy, and human development. Lagos City in Lagos State is Nigeria’s largest city and its economic capital. Street gangs operate in the city making it highly danger-prone. Crime is also a problem in the city. The population grows at an annual rate of 2 to 3 %. Casablanca’s port is the largest in North Africa, and among the largest of artificial ports in the world. These attacks happen on market days, public and religious holidays. A study by the University of Ontario – Institute of Technology (UOIT) reports that the population of Abidjan grows by 2.83% annually. Regardless of these challenges, Mogadishu is Somalia’s administrative and economic hub with foreign countries pouring aid to fund projects to kick-start this war-torn country’s economy. Erschwerend kommt hinzu, dass oftmals eine Stadt mit einer Metropolregion verwechselt wird. Poor governance, poverty, and unregulated migration cause security issues in the city. That effect is exposing these populations to poor living conditions and susceptibility to prospective illnesses and vices. ArchDaily 2008-2020. By the end of the century, none of the world’s largest 20 cities will be in China, Europe, or the Americas. According to a 2013 report by Kano State Government Investor’s Handbook, the city has an annual population growth rate of 3.5%. It has a population of around 4.1 million. Even by megacity standards, Dhaka is a crowded place. 80% of urban dwellers in the country live in slums. Johannesburg is also a continental financial hub hosting major world banks and Africa’s largest stock in Sandton. This former capital generates 70% of the national GDP. Major airlines and charter plane companies operate from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, thereby opening East Africa to the rest of the world.

Kinshasa’s population is estimated to be around 10 million to 13.3 million. Mogadishu is Somalia’s capital and largest city.