Population of Every African Country in 2026: All 54 Nations Ranked

Published: October 13, 2026

Africa is home to about 1.58 billion people in 2026, spread across 54 sovereign nations. This ranking lists every one of them, from Nigeria's 242.4 million people down to Seychelles' 134,959. All figures come from the United Nations' latest population estimates, compiled and cross-checked for this article.

Key Facts

• Africa's 54 sovereign nations are home to about 1.58 billion people in 2026, based on United Nations estimates.
• Nigeria is the continent's most populous country by a wide margin, with 242.4 million people, ahead of Ethiopia (138.9 million) and Egypt (120.1 million).
• Just 10 countries hold 968.6 million people, about 61 percent of everyone in Africa. The top 20 hold about 82 percent.
• The Central African Republic is growing fastest at 3.37 percent a year. Mauritius is the only country whose population is shrinking, down 0.25 percent.
• Seychelles is the smallest nation with 134,959 people. Nigeria's population is roughly 1,800 times larger.

Population of Every African Country in 2026, Ranked

Population figures are July 1, 2026 estimates from the UN World Population Prospects 2025 revision. Growth is the annual change to mid-2026.

The concentration at the top is striking. The 10 largest countries hold more people than the other 44 combined. At the bottom, the 10 smallest nations together hold fewer people than Ghana alone.

Selected Details

1. Nigeria: 242.4 million people

Nigeria alone holds about 15 percent of Africa's total population. It outnumbers second-placed Ethiopia by more than 100 million people. The country grows by about 2 percent a year, which adds roughly 5 million people annually.

2. Ethiopia: 138.9 million people

Ethiopia is Africa's second most populous country, with 138.9 million people. It is also growing faster than Nigeria, at 2.53 percent a year. That growth adds about 3.5 million people each year, the equivalent of a new mid-sized African city every 12 months.

3. Egypt: 120.1 million people

Egypt ranks third with 120.1 million people. Its growth rate of 1.47 percent is the slowest among the five largest countries, which reflects the fact that North African countries tend to have smaller families than countries south of the Sahara. See also our ranking of Africa's fastest-growing populations.

4. DR Congo: 116.5 million people

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is closing in on Egypt, with 116.5 million people and the fourth-fastest growth among large countries at 3.21 percent a year. If these trends hold, DR Congo could pass Egypt for third place within the next few years.

5. Tanzania: 72.6 million people

Tanzania is East Africa's largest country by population, with 72.6 million people. It grows at 2.86 percent a year, faster than every country above it except DR Congo. It now outnumbers South Africa by about 7 million people.

6. South Africa: 65.5 million people

South Africa ranks sixth with 65.5 million people, growing at just 1.09 percent a year. It is one of the slowest-growing countries in the top 10, a pattern common in the continent's more developed economies. For comparison of living standards, see our minimum wage ranking for every African country in 2026.

7. Sudan: 53.3 million people

Sudan's 53.3 million people make it the eighth-largest country on the list. Its growth rate of 3.14 percent a year is among the fastest for a country of its size, which means its population will double in about 22 years if the trend continues.

8. Somalia: 20.3 million people

Somalia grows at 3.31 percent a year, the second-fastest rate on the continent. A rate like that means the population roughly doubles every 21 years. Somalia's 20.3 million people today would become more than 40 million by the mid-2040s at this pace.

9. Central African Republic: 5.7 million people, fastest growth in Africa

The Central African Republic has the fastest-growing population in Africa at 3.37 percent a year. Its 5.7 million people are increasing by nearly 190,000 each year. The country also has one of the youngest populations on the continent, as our youngest population ranking shows.

10. Mauritius and Seychelles: the two extremes

Mauritius, with 1.27 million people, is the only African country whose population is shrinking, down 0.25 percent a year. At the very bottom sits Seychelles, Africa's smallest nation with 134,959 people. Nigeria's population is roughly 1,800 times larger than Seychelles'.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Africa in 2026?

About 1.58 billion people live in Africa's 54 sovereign nations in 2026, according to the United Nations' medium-variant estimates. The medium variant is the UN's middle projection, neither optimistic nor pessimistic.

Which country has the highest population in Africa in 2026?

Nigeria, with 242.4 million people. It has held the top spot for decades and outnumbers second-placed Ethiopia by more than 100 million people.

What is the smallest country in Africa by population in 2026?

Seychelles, with 134,959 people. Sao Tome and Principe is second-smallest at 244,994, and Cape Verde is third-smallest at 529,630.

Which African country has the fastest-growing population in 2026?

The Central African Republic, at 3.37 percent a year. Somalia (3.31 percent), DR Congo and Niger (3.21 percent each) follow close behind.

How many countries are in Africa?

There are 54 sovereign states in Africa recognized by the United Nations. This ranking covers all 54. It excludes non-sovereign territories such as Reunion and Mayotte, which appear in some global population tables.

Data Sources

• World Population Review: Countries in Africa 2026 (updated September 25, 2026)
• Worldometer: Africa Population (2026)
• United Nations: World Population Prospects, the 2025 revision

Methodology

All figures are July 1, 2026 population estimates from the UN World Population Prospects 2025 revision, medium variant, as compiled by World Population Review and cross-checked against Worldometer. The medium variant is the UN's middle projection of future births, deaths, and migration.

Countries are ranked by total resident population, highest to lowest. The ranking covers the 54 sovereign states of Africa. Four non-sovereign entries that appear in the source tables were excluded: Reunion, Mayotte, Western Sahara, and Saint Helena. Growth rates are the annual percentage change in population over the year to mid-2026. Aggregate shares, such as the top 10's 61 percent, were computed from these figures.