Angola’s capital, Luanda, could surpass Lagos as Sub-Saharan Africa’s most populous city by 2050, according to a recent World Bank report.

In the report titled ‘Sub-Saharan Africa’s Urban Awakening: Catalysing Economic Growth and Job Creation’, the population of Luanda is projected to increase by 78 per cent within the next 25 years, growing the city’s population from 11.4 million to 20.3 million.

“Over this period, the population of Angola’s capital city, Luanda, is projected to increase by 78 per cent from 11.4 million to 20.3 million. In doing so, Luanda will overtake Lagos as SSA’s most populous city,” the report said.

Despite Luanda’s projected growth, Lagos’ population is still expected to increase from 12.8 million people in 2025 to 16.2 million by 2050, a 25 per cent jump.

However, the Lagos government put the city’s current population figure at an estimated 22 million.

However, that 25 per cent would add only 3.4 million residents over the period, compared with Luanda’s 8.9 million.

“Nevertheless, Lagos’s population will still swell by more than 25 per cent, from 12.8 million to 16.2 million, between 2025 and 2050,” the report added.

Meanwhile, Onitsha’s population is projected to grow from 5.6 million in 2025 to 8.7 million in 2050, a 55.36 per cent jump, while Kano’s population is expected to rise by 31 per cent over the same period.

However, the northern Nigerian city is projected to fall out of sub-Saharan Africa’s 15 most populous cities by 2050.