Published: September 30, 2026 | Last updated: September 30, 2026
Key Facts
- Nigeria is Africa's most populous country at 242,431,832 people in 2026, equal to about 2.9% of the world's population (Worldometer, elaboration of UN World Population Prospects, 2026 estimate)
- The Democratic Republic of the Congo has the fastest population growth in the top 10, at 3.21% a year, adding more than 3.6 million people over the past year (Worldometer, 2026)
- The top five countries, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Egypt, DR Congo and Tanzania, together hold about 690 million people, roughly 44% of Africa's total population of 1.58 billion (Worldometer, 2026)
- Algeria has the most urbanised population in the top 10 at 75% of people living in cities, while Ethiopia is the least urbanised at 23% (Worldometer, 2026)
- The Democratic Republic of the Congo has the highest fertility rate in the top 10 at 5.8 children per woman, while South Africa has the lowest at 2.2 (Worldometer, 2026)
| Rank | Country | Population (2026) | Yearly Change | Net Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nigeria | 242,431,832 | 2.06% | 4,904,050 |
| 2 | Ethiopia | 138,902,185 | 2.53% | 3,430,134 |
| 3 | Egypt | 120,101,175 | 1.47% | 1,735,180 |
| 4 | DR Congo | 116,452,162 | 3.21% | 3,619,689 |
| 5 | Tanzania | 72,563,780 | 2.86% | 2,017,915 |
| 6 | South Africa | 65,453,084 | 1.09% | 705,765 |
| 7 | Kenya | 58,636,412 | 1.92% | 1,103,919 |
| 8 | Sudan | 53,282,719 | 3.14% | 1,620,572 |
| 9 | Uganda | 52,761,469 | 2.68% | 1,376,575 |
| 10 | Algeria | 48,028,334 | 1.25% | 593,022 |
Selected Details About Each Country on the List
1. Nigeria
242,431,832 people (Worldometer, 2026 estimate). Nigeria is growing at 2.06% a year and has a median age of just 18, one of the youngest large populations anywhere. Its last full census was in 2006, when the count stood at 140.4 million, so every figure since then is a growth-rate projection rather than a fresh headcount. Nigeria ranks sixth in the world by population and is projected by UN demographers to become the world's third most populous country by 2050.
2. Ethiopia
138,902,185 people (Worldometer, 2026 estimate). Ethiopia's population is growing faster than Nigeria's, at 2.53% a year, but only 23% of Ethiopians live in cities, making it one of the least urbanised countries among Africa's largest economies. Its median age of 19 reflects a population weighted heavily toward the young.
3. Egypt
120,101,175 people (Worldometer, 2026 estimate). Egypt is North Africa's most populous country by a wide margin, with growth slowing to 1.47% a year as fertility declines toward 2.7 children per woman. At 41% urban, more of Egypt's population lives in cities than in Nigeria or Ethiopia.
4. Democratic Republic of the Congo
116,452,162 people (Worldometer, 2026 estimate). DR Congo has both the fastest growth rate and the highest fertility rate in the top 10, at 3.21% a year and 5.8 children per woman respectively. Analysts including Pew Research point to the country as one of the handful expected to drive most of the world's population growth for the rest of the century.
5. Tanzania
72,563,780 people (Worldometer, 2026 estimate). Tanzania's population is expanding at 2.86% a year, among the fastest of the top 10, while its median age of 18 places it firmly among Africa's youngest nations.
6. South Africa
65,453,084 people (Worldometer, 2026 estimate). South Africa's growth rate of 1.09% is the slowest in the top 10 after Egypt, and its fertility rate of 2.2 children per woman is the lowest on the list. At 67% urban and a median age of 29, its population profile looks closer to a middle-income country than to its neighbours further north.
7. Kenya
58,636,412 people (Worldometer, 2026 estimate). Kenya sits just behind Sudan and just ahead of Uganda, with a fertility rate of 3.1, lower than most of East Africa, and a median age of 20.
8. Sudan
53,282,719 people (Worldometer, 2026 estimate). Sudan is growing at 3.14% a year, one of the fastest rates in the top 10, and recorded net inward migration of more than 252,000 people in the past year, a marked contrast to most of its neighbours on this list.
9. Uganda
52,761,469 people (Worldometer, 2026 estimate). Uganda has climbed into ninth place, with growth of 2.68% a year and a median age of 17, the second youngest in the top 10 after DR Congo.
10. Algeria
48,028,334 people (Worldometer, 2026 estimate). Algeria closes out the top 10 with the largest land area of any country on the list, more than 2.38 million square kilometres, but a comparatively low density of 20 people per square kilometre. It is also the most urbanised country on the list, with 75% of its population living in cities.
Quick Answers to Commonly Asked Questions About this Topic
Which African country has the largest population?
Nigeria. It had an estimated 242,431,832 people in 2026, according to Worldometer's elaboration of United Nations data, ahead of Ethiopia (138.9 million) and Egypt (120.1 million).
Is Nigeria's population figure based on a recent census?
No. Nigeria's last national census was conducted in 2006 and recorded 140.4 million people. Every figure reported since then, including the 2026 estimate, is a projection built from that base using the country's population growth rate, currently estimated by the World Bank at around 2.1%.
Does a large population mean a strong economy?
Not necessarily. The Democratic Republic of the Congo ranks fourth by population but is not among Africa's five largest economies, while more urbanised, lower-fertility countries such as South Africa and Egypt carry more economic weight than their population rank alone would suggest. This list ranks countries by headcount, not by GDP or living standards.
How fast is Africa's population growing overall?
Africa's population reached about 1.58 billion in 2026, growing at 2.27% a year, the fastest rate of any continent. Worldometer's UN-based projections put the continent above 1.7 billion by 2030 and near 2.5 billion by 2050.
Which countries will drive most of Africa's future population growth?
According to Pew Research, five of the six countries expected to drive more than half of global population growth for the rest of the century are in Africa: Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Ethiopia and Angola.
Data Sources
- Worldometer, "African Countries by Population (2026)", elaboration of United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division, World Population Prospects: The 2024 Revision. Pulled September 30, 2026.
- Pulse Ghana, "Top 10 Most Populated Countries in Africa: 2026 Rankings," dated February 12, 2026, citing the same Worldometer dataset. Pulled September 30, 2026.
Methodology
This ranking orders African countries by total population as estimated by Worldometer's elaboration of the United Nations' medium-fertility population projections for 2026, a mid-year estimate rather than a national census count. Nigeria's figure, like most on this list, rests on a growth-rate projection from an older census base (2006 in Nigeria's case) rather than a fresh headcount, so it will differ from any figure a future census produces. The list covers sovereign African states only; dependencies and territories that Worldometer lists separately, such as Réunion, Mayotte and Western Sahara, are excluded from the ranking.
