Top 10 Cities for Artificial Intelligence in Africa: South Africa Takes the Top Three Spots
Cairo is among the strongest AI centers in Africa
Written by: Mohammed Omran
African cities have witnessed a rapid boom in the field of artificial intelligenceDriven by the expansion of technological investments, the growth of startups, and governments' move towards promoting digital transformation and building a more advanced infrastructure.
Cape Town tops the rankings, with Johannesburg close behind in second place.
According to a recent report by Counterpoint Research, Cape Town topped the list of the best African cities for artificial intelligence in 2026, achieving 62.1 points, benefiting from the strength of its startup ecosystem and the significant expansion of its data centers.
Cape Town
Lagos, Nairobi, and Tunis are strengthening their presence in the technology scene.
Johannesburg came in second with a total of 62 points, supported by strong activity in financial services and digital infrastructure, while Lagos came in third with 59.2 points, thanks to government initiatives and partnerships with global technology companies.
Lagos came in third with a total of 59.2 points, thanks to growing government and technology partnerships, while Nairobi came in fourth with 56.3 points, benefiting from a regulatory environment that supports innovation and specialized technology parks.
Tunis ranked fifth with a total of 56 points, driven by increasing foreign investment in communications and artificial intelligence, while Cairo came in sixth with 45.9 points, becoming one of the continent's largest emerging technology centers.
Cairo is among the top AI cities in Africa
The list also included Casablanca, Morocco, in seventh place, followed by Accra, the capital of Ghana, in eighth place, then Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, in ninth place, and finally Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, in tenth place.
The ranking was based on an evaluation of more than 350 initiatives in the public and private sectors, with an analysis of the level of development of communications networks, educational outputs, the size of startup activity, in addition to the readiness of the digital infrastructure.
The artificial intelligence sector in Africa continues to achieve rapid growth, supported by increased foreign investment, the rise of startups, and government policies aimed at integrating technology into various economic and service sectors.
The concept of “sovereign artificial intelligence” has emerged as a major trend within the continent, with governments moving towards building locally owned and internally managed infrastructure, focusing on developing systems based on local languages, with the aim of enhancing digital and technological independence.
