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, half of the ten cities with the lowest liveability rankings are in Africa. Below are the liveability ratings 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