The African Exponent — Africa, Measured
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Top 10 African Countries by Diaspora Remittances in 2026
Egypt received $41.5 billion in 2025, more than ranks 3 to 10 combined, as Africa's diaspora sent home $124 billion. Here are the 10 countries that received the most diaspora remittances, ranked on the latest available figures for each country.
Top rankings
Top 10 Richest Cities in Africa by Millionaires in 2026
Johannesburg still leads Africa with 11,700 resident dollar millionaires in June 2025, but six South African cities take 33,200 of the top 10 total of 50,700, while Lagos, West Africa's richest city, sits only seventh with 3,600.
Top 10 African Countries by Diaspora Remittances in 2026
Egypt received $41.5 billion in 2025, more than ranks 3 to 10 combined, as Africa's diaspora sent home $124 billion. Here are the 10 countries that received the most diaspora remittances, ranked on the latest available figures for each country.
East Africa Combined vs Nigeria: Whose Economy Is Bigger in 2026?
The eight East African Community economies together are worth $490.9bn in 2026, IMF projections show, $104.3bn more than Nigeria and just ahead of South Africa. But per person, Nigeria is still richer.
The CFA Franc Zone, Ranked: Every Member Economy by Size in 2026
Fourteen countries, two currencies, one peg to the euro: Côte d'Ivoire alone is worth more than the seven smallest CFA economies combined. Here is every member ranked by GDP, from $110.4 billion down to $2.9 billion.
Top 10 African Countries by Soft Power in 2026
Egypt leads Africa in the Brand Finance Global Soft Power Index 2026 with a score of 44.8, just ahead of South Africa at 44.2, while only three African countries make the global top 50.
Top 10 Youngest Billionaires in Africa in 2026
Africa's youngest billionaire is 51 years old. The ten youngest people on Forbes' 2026 Africa rich list have an average age of 64, and together they hold $63.5 billion. Here is who they are, and why Africa's billionaire class keeps getting older.
Top 10 Biggest Defense Budgets in Africa in 2026
Algeria spends $25.4 billion on its military, more than the next nine African countries combined. Morocco, South Africa, Egypt and Nigeria complete the top five in this 2026 edition, ranked on the latest SIPRI defense data.
Top 10 Least Corrupt Countries in Africa in 2026
Seychelles tops Transparency International's latest Corruption Perceptions Index with 68 out of 100. Only four African countries score above 50, and island nations dominate the top ten.
Top 10 Biggest Private-Sector Employers in Africa in 2026
Shoprite employs 174,430 people, nearly double third placed Pick n Pay and far ahead of every rival except Bidvest. Nine of the ten biggest private employers are headquartered in South Africa, and Egypt's Orascom Construction is the only exception.
Where Young Africans Can't Find Work: Youth Unemployment in Africa, Ranked 2026
Djibouti has Africa's highest youth unemployment at 76.8%, with more than three in four young jobseekers out of work. South Africa, Eswatini and Libya follow in this 2026 edition, ranked on ILO modelled estimates for 2025.
Top 10 Best African Countries for Remote Workers in 2026
The ten African countries where remote work actually works in 2026, ranked on internet speed, cost of living, digital nomad visas and safety.
Highest Unemployment Rates in Africa in 2026
Eswatini has the highest unemployment rate in Africa at 34.2% — more than one in three workers jobless. South Africa is second at 32.4%. All 10 countries ranked.
Top 10 Largest African Diasporas in the World in 2026, Ranked by Country of Origin
Ranked on UN DESA International Migrant Stock 2024 figures (mid-2024, people born in each country living abroad). Egypt leads with 4.82 million emigrants. The top 10 total 26.9 million, or 64.9 percent of Africa's 41.4 million emigrants.
Top 10 African Tribes With the Most Beautiful Women in 2026
Who has the most beautiful women in Africa? Beauty is subjective, so we ranked recognition instead. Our Global Recognition Index scores 15 great peoples on the famous women the world knows, from Iman to Lupita Nyong'o, and the Somali finish eight points clear.
Top 10 Most Urbanized Countries in Africa in 2026
Gabon is Africa's most urbanized country: 92.1% of its people live in towns and cities, more than twice Egypt's share. Nigeria, South Africa and Egypt all miss the top 10. Here are the 10 most urbanized countries in Africa in 2026, ranked on 2025 figures.
Top 10 Most Powerful Tribes in Africa in 2026
Size alone does not rule Africa. Our first Power Index scores 15 of the continent's biggest ethnic groups on population, political office, spread, economic weight and cultural reach, and the Hausa edge out the Yoruba by a single point, 82 to 81. The Zulu, 15 million strong, miss the top 10.
Top 10 Best Healthcare Systems in Africa in 2026
Ranked on the WHO Universal Health Coverage service coverage index for 2023, the latest available data, Seychelles leads Africa at 80 out of 100, four points clear of Tunisia. Three countries tie at 71, and Morocco just misses the top 10 by a single point.
Top 10 Most Electrified Countries in Africa in 2026
Six African countries now report universal electricity access, with 100% of their people connected in 2024. Cabo Verde, Gabon, Ghana and Comoros follow, while South Africa just misses the top ten at 90.2%.
Top 10 Countries With the Worst Roads in Africa in 2026
Chad has the worst roads in Africa, scoring 1.9 out of 7, and three of the five worst road networks on earth are African. From Mauritania to Nigeria, this 2026 ranking of Africa's worst roads names the countries where driving is hardest, with the survey data behind every score.
Top 10 Countries With the Best Roads in Africa in 2026
Namibia has the best roads in Africa with a score of 5.3 out of 7, ahead of Egypt and Rwanda, in the latest cross-country road-quality data.
Top 10 Telecom Operators in Africa by Subscribers in 2026
MTN Group leads Africa's telecom operators with 307.2 million customers, ahead of Vodacom and Airtel Africa. The top 10 operator groups by mobile subscribers, with latest reported figures and as-of dates.
Top 10 Most Funded African Startups in 2026
MNT-Halan leads with about $989 million raised, ahead of Moove at $710 million. These are the ten African-founded startups that have raised the most money, and what the money bought them.
Top 10 African Startups by Valuation in 2026
Flutterwave leads a fintech-heavy top 10 worth about $17.4 billion in total. Most of the valuations are years old, and one famous former unicorn does not make the cut. Here is what each figure actually rests on.
Top 10 African Companies by Revenue in 2026
Sonatrach tops the 2026 ranking of Africa's biggest companies by revenue, ahead of NNPC and Vivo Energy. The top 10 by latest full-year revenue, with figures, countries and data vintage dated.
Farhat Bengdara Wants Oil Producers to Move Before the Market Moves for Them
Renewables didn't get there overnight. Renewables supplied 16.7% of global final energy consumption in 2011. By 2021, that number had climbed to 18.7%. The International Energy Agency projects close to 20% by 2030.
Scan to Pay: How AvadaPay’s QR Payment Solution Is Simplifying In-Person Payments
AvadaPay provides each merchant or shop with a unique QR code that customers can use whenever they need to make a payment.
Almost 1 Million Health Workers In Africa Are Unemployed. Even Though The Continent Faces A Massive Doctor Shortage
For decades, the narrative was simple: Africa wasn’t training enough health workers, and rich nations were stealing them all. But new data reveals a much more shocking reality.
Madagascar’s Failed $170m Cable Car Project and 5 Reasons Why Imported Western Solutions Keep Failing Africa
Madagascar borrowed $173 million to import a European transit model. Today, the cable cars hang empty above a capital city that never rode them, leaving citizens to pay off the debt.
Top 10 African Countries with the Best Football Teams in 2026
Morocco is Africa's best football team in 2026, ranked 7th in the world with 1,805.34 FIFA points — ahead of Senegal (18th) and Egypt (25th).
Dollar to Naira: 10 Years in One Chart
The dollar bought 305 naira at the official rate in 2016 and buys 1,326 naira in September 2026, a decade of Central Bank of Nigeria and NAFEM exchange rate data shows.
Kenya Just Won The Right To Host The World Athletics Championships, And It Took The Sport Four Decades To Let Africa In
Nairobi just beat London, Munich, and Rome for the right to host track and field's biggest stage. The real story is not that Kenya won. It is that Africa has been the sport's engine room for decades and still had to wait this long for an invitation to host the party.
Top 10 African Countries With The Biggest Hydroelectric Dams In 2026
Hydropower keeps the lights on for a huge share of the continent. We ranked the top 10 African countries by the installed capacity of their largest hydroelectric dam. Get your calculator ready, because the gap between number one and everyone else is bigger than you think.
Editors’ Picks
Top 10 African Countries with the Most Beautiful Women in 2026
Africa offers unmatched aesthetic diversity. Across vibrant cities and historical regions, women carry themselves with distinct cultural confidence and global fashion influence.
Top 10 African Inventions That Changed The World
Africa’s innovations shaped global civilization. These breakthroughs transformed how societies record knowledge, build cities, grow food, and trade, proving Africa’s central and lasting impact on the foundations of the modern world.
Top 10 African Countries with the Highest Forex Reserves Growth in 2025
In 2025, several African countries recorded notable growth in their forex reserves, driven by a mix of higher commodity exports, improved fiscal discipline, external financing inflows, and stronger monetary management.