Road congestion is a major problem globally, and the bustling streets of major African cities are becoming synonymous with gridlock, usually caused by poor management of traffic flow, weak enforcement, and inadequate infrastructure.
As populations in countries continue to grow and individuals pursue economic opportunities, the surge in traffic is outpacing the roads and bridges they need. The result? A mess for urban mobility, overall quality of life, and economic productivity.
For example, Lagos, the commercial nerve of Nigeria, loses a staggering N4 trillion annually, according to the Danne Institute for Research.
To shed light on the extent of this issue, Numbeo, a platform that provides up-to-date information about the cost of living, quality of life, and various socio-economic factors across cities and countries worldwide, has recently updated its Traffic Index for 2024.
The index considered factors such as commute time, dissatisfaction with time spent in traffic, CO2 emissions, and overall traffic system inefficiencies.
Below are African countries with the worst traffic congestion in 2024:
Rank Country Traffic index Time index (in minutes)
| Rank | Country | Traffic index | Time index (in minutes) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Nigeria | 304.8 | 61.7 |
| 2. | Kenya | 239.8 | 51.2 |
| 3. | Egypt | 229.5 | 48.1 |
| 4. | South Africa | 188.0 | 38.8 |
| 5. | Morocco | 135.4 | 36.6 |
