Africa is a continent of remarkable diversity, and its cities are a testament to it. Each city has its unique mix of culture, history, and opportunities. However, in certain pockets of this varied landscape, daily life is marred by challenges arising from ongoing political instability, economic hardships, and a shortage of basic services.
The Economist Intelligence Unit in its report "The Global Liveability Index 2023," featured the world's top 10 most liveable cities and the 10 cities considered the least liveable.
This report evaluates the livability of cities worldwide based on a combination of five key factors: stability (crime and conflict levels), healthcare (availability and quality), environmental/cultural factors (climate, religious restrictions, food, and drinks), education (availability and quality), and infrastructure (roads, public transport, water, housing, energy, and telecommunications quality).
According to the report, African cities such as Lagos (Nigeria) and Algiers (Algeria) have gained ground, with some improvements in their healthcare and education systems.
Although corruption continues to be an issue, some additional public funding has been made available for infrastructure and public services, which have also benefited from the decline in COVID cases.
However, among the ten cities with the lowest liveability rankings, half of them are located in Africa. Below are the liveability rating for these African cities::
1. Tripoli, Libya is ranked as the least liveable city in Africa.
Rank: 172
Rating: 40.1
Stability: 30.0
Healthcare: 45.8
Culture and Environment: 37.5
Education: 58.3
Infrastructure: 41.1
2. Algiers, Algeria
Rank: 171
Rating: 42.0
Stability: 35.0
Healthcare: 50.0
Culture and Environment: 45.4
Education: 58.3
Infrastructure: 30.4
3. Lagos, Nigeria
Rank: 170
Rating: 42.2
Stability: 25.0
Healthcare: 37.5
Culture and Environment: 54.4
Education: 41.7
Infrastructure: 53.6
4. Harare, Zimbabwe
Rank: 166
Rating: 43.8
Stability: 40.0
Healthcare: 29.2
Culture and Environment: 56.7
Education: 66.7
Infrastructure: 35.7
5. Douala, Cameroon
Rank: 164
Rating: 46.4
Stability: 60.0
Healthcare: 29.2
Culture and Environment: 51.2
Education: 41.7
Infrastructure: 42.9
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