The latest Global Liveability Index from the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) paints a sobering picture for Africa, with four of its cities ranked among the ten least liveable in the world. Lagos, Nigeria’s bustling commercial hub, is one of them.
The report, which assessed 173 cities worldwide, measures how suitable and comfortable urban centres are for everyday life.
It considers stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure.
For Lagos, the findings highlight the daily realities many residents already know too well. Ranked 168th overall with a score of 44, the city struggled in areas such as stability and healthcare.
Its stability score was just 30, reflecting concerns about safety and governance, while healthcare scored 38.
Infrastructure fared slightly better at 54, but the sheer pressure of rapid population growth and overstretched public services continues to weigh heavily on the city’s livability.
Elsewhere on the continent, Tripoli in Libya was rated the lowest-ranked African city and second-worst globally, coming in at 172nd out of 173 cities.
Years of conflict and instability have left the city with an overall score of 41, just above Damascus in Syria, which was ranked last.
Harare in Zimbabwe placed 165th, performing relatively well in education but dragged down by weak healthcare. Algiers in Algeria came in 169th, with stronger healthcare services but poor infrastructure.
The report underscores how armed conflicts, political instability, economic struggles, and inadequate infrastructure continue to shape life in many African cities.
For Lagos and Harare, the challenge is compounded by rapid urbanisation, which has outpaced improvements in public services.
Tripoli’s ranking reflects the devastating impact of prolonged conflict, while Algiers shows how uneven development can leave residents with mixed experiences of city life.
Globally, other cities in the bottom 10 include Tehran, Kyiv, Port Moresby, Karachi, and Dhaka.
The EIU notes that its index is widely used by governments, businesses, and international organisations to assess living conditions and guide policy decisions.
For Lagosians, the ranking is not just a statistic—it is a reminder of the urgent need to address the city’s infrastructure gaps, healthcare system, and governance challenges to make everyday life more liveable.
