Urban population growth in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Urban population growth was 3.6% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Urban population growth in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1961–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in annual %.
Analysis
In 2025, urban population growth in Sub-Saharan Africa stood at 3.6%. That is the lowest value across all 65 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.8% on the previous year and down 8.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population growth in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 5.3% in 1973 and was at its lowest, 3.6%, in 2025.
Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 7th of 45 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 65 years of available data.
Urban population growth in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 4.8% | — |
| 1962 | 4.9% | +2.2% |
| 1963 | 5.0% | +1.3% |
| 1964 | 5.1% | +1.1% |
| 1965 | 5.1% | +1.4% |
| 1966 | 5.2% | +0.5% |
| 1967 | 5.2% | -0.1% |
| 1968 | 5.2% | +0.2% |
| 1969 | 5.2% | +0.4% |
| 1970 | 5.2% | +0.2% |
| 1971 | 5.2% | +0.4% |
| 1972 | 5.3% | +0.8% |
| 1973 | 5.3% | +1.5% |
| 1974 | 5.3% | -0.1% |
| 1975 | 5.3% | -1.5% |
| 1976 | 5.2% | -1.7% |
| 1977 | 5.1% | -2.2% |
| 1978 | 5.0% | -0.3% |
| 1979 | 5.0% | -0.4% |
| 1980 | 4.9% | -1.4% |
| 1981 | 4.9% | -0.8% |
| 1982 | 4.9% | +0.4% |
| 1983 | 4.9% | -1.4% |
| 1984 | 4.8% | -0.3% |
| 1985 | 4.9% | +1.8% |
| 1986 | 4.9% | -0.6% |
| 1987 | 5.0% | +2.9% |
| 1988 | 4.9% | -2.9% |
| 1989 | 4.8% | -2.0% |
| 1990 | 4.6% | -3.5% |
| 1991 | 4.5% | -2.6% |
| 1992 | 4.1% | -8.0% |
| 1993 | 4.1% | -0.6% |
| 1994 | 4.1% | -0.2% |
| 1995 | 4.0% | -2.6% |
| 1996 | 3.9% | -3.4% |
| 1997 | 3.9% | -0.2% |
| 1998 | 4.0% | +3.4% |
| 1999 | 4.0% | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 4.0% | +0.3% |
| 2001 | 4.1% | +1.7% |
| 2002 | 4.1% | +0.9% |
| 2003 | 4.2% | +0.9% |
| 2004 | 4.2% | +1.2% |
| 2005 | 4.2% | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 4.2% | -0.3% |
| 2007 | 4.0% | -4.0% |
| 2008 | 4.2% | +4.4% |
| 2009 | 4.0% | -4.2% |
| 2010 | 3.9% | -2.0% |
| 2011 | 3.9% | -0.8% |
| 2012 | 3.9% | -0.7% |
| 2013 | 3.9% | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 3.9% | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 3.9% | -0.6% |
| 2016 | 3.8% | -2.5% |
| 2017 | 3.8% | -0.5% |
| 2018 | 3.8% | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 3.7% | -3.4% |
| 2020 | 3.7% | -0.6% |
| 2021 | 3.7% | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 3.7% | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 3.6% | -2.4% |
| 2024 | 3.6% | +0.8% |
| 2025 | 3.6% | -0.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 5.1% | 4.8% | 5.2% | 9 |
| 1970s | 5.2% | 5.0% | 5.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.9% | 4.8% | 5.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.1% | 3.9% | 4.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.1% | 4.0% | 4.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.9% | 3.7% | 3.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.6% | 3.6% | 3.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
- 4 Niger 5.0% compare
- 5 Mozambique 4.9% compare
- 6 United Arab Emirates 4.9% compare
- 7 Saudi Arabia 4.8% compare
- 8 Tanzania 4.8% compare
- 9 Uganda 4.8% compare
- 10 Mali 4.8% compare
More climate change data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Indirect emissions (N2O that) 6.71 kt (2050)
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Indirect emissions (N2O that leaches) 15.1 kt (2050)
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers 67.1 kt (2050)
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers 88.91 kt (2050)
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers 4.27 billion kg (2050)
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Nitrogen fertilizer content applied 427.00 million kg (2050)
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Nitrogen fertilizer content applied 1.28 billion kg (2050)
- All Crops — Burning crop residues 137.43 kt (2050)
- All Crops — Burning crop residues 3.56 kt (2050)
- All Crops — Burning crop residues 50.90 million t (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population growth in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Urban population growth in Sub-Saharan Africa was 3.6% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest urban population growth recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 5.3% in 1973.
- What is the lowest urban population growth recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.6% in 2025.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for urban population growth?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 7th out of 45 groups with data for 2025.
- Is urban population growth rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Urban population growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Annual urban population growth rate for year t is the exponential rate of growth of midyear urban population from year t-1 to t, expressed as a percentage. Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated using World Bank total population estimates and urban ratios from the United Nations World Urbanization Prospects.