Accra will become the 7^th biggest economy in Sub-Saharan Africa by 2050, according to Oxford Business Economics Africa's latest report on “key issues shaping the long-term urban outlook in sub-Saharan Africa”.

The city's Gross Domestic Product will be worth about $68 billion in the forecast period.

Accra placed 8^th in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2023 with the biggest economy. The size of the economy was estimated at about $25 billion. 

According to the report, the rapid development and deepening urbanisation of Accra will catapult it to the 7^th position by 2050, one step better than in 2025.

The report continued that although Sub-Saharan Africa cities will see the fastest growth rate between 2024 and 2050, not one city in the region will enter into the global 100 ranking for the size of its economy.

There will, however, be some notable intra-regional variations.

South Africa’s Johannesburg is currently the largest city by Gross Domestic Product (GDP), closely followed by Lagos. But Lagos will overtake Johannesburg by a significant margin in 2050, driven by sectors such as consumer and business services.

“South Africa’s Johannesburg is currently the largest city by GDP, closely followed by Lagos. However, we forecast the latter to have comfortably overtaken the South African centre by 2050, and established itself as the region’s economic heavyweight. Its route to development has veered from the typical pathway of industrialisation that most sub-Saharan cities follow. Rather, Lagos’ ascent will be largely driven by sectors such as consumer and business services”.

Furthermore, the Angolan capital Luanda will also achieve sizeable gains in GDP over the forecast period, cementing itself as the region’s third-largest city economy. Although sectoral diversification remains a key aim of the government, industrial activities.

The report added that despite rapid urbanisation, sub-Saharan cities will lack a global economic presence.