The rise of Africa’s megacities

According to UN figures and projections, world population is expected to increase from about 8.2 billion today to 9.7 billion by 2050, and it may continue to grow beyond that. It is expected that by the end of this century, more than 80% of the world’s population will live in large cities which will lead to megacities and so-called megalopolises.

The largest population increase will take place in Africa. There, the population is expected to grow from more than 1.5 billion today to 2.5 billion in 2050 and 3.8 billion in 2100. This means that if these projections prove accurate, nearly 40% of the world’s population will live in Africa by 2100. To give an idea: Nigeria alone will have surpassed the United States to become the third most populous country in the world, after India and China. This growth of megacities/megalopolises will be unprecedented in world history. The demographic developments in Africa will undoubtedly also affect the global dairy market.

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