The 2024 Smart City Index has been released. This year’s index ranks 142 smart cities worldwide based on data analyzed by researchers and survey responses of 120 residents in each city.
- Business Insider Africa presents the top 10 smartest cities in Africa in 2024.
- This list is courtesy of the IMD Smart City Index, which ranks 142 cities worldwide based on data analyzed by researchers and survey responses of 120 residents in each city.
- The latest index identified Cairo as the smartest city in Africa in 2024. But what other African cities were included in our ranking?
The study was produced by the IMD World Competitiveness Center’s Smart City Observatory in collaboration with the World Smart Sustainable Cities Organization (WeGO), and the index captures an overview of how a city's infrastructure and technology impact its performance and the quality of life of its inhabitants.
What is a smart city?
According to IMD, a smart city is an urban setting that applies technology to enhance the benefits and diminish the shortcomings of urbanisation for its citizens. In this year’s report, European cities dominate the ranking, with seven of the top 10 smart cities coming from Europe.
The index identified a few Asian cities that are also making significant strides. Singapore, a consistent top-10 contender, was ranked the 5th smartest city in the world, while Taipei City jumped an impressive 13 positions to reach 16th place.
In a surprising turn of events, North American cities were absent from the top 20 for the first time since the index began. According to the index, major US cities like Washington DC, Denver, and Los Angeles saw significant declines in their rankings, with New York City holding the highest ranking (34th) on the list.
While European cities continue to dominate the rankings, the latest index identified Cairo as the smartest city in Africa in 2024. But what other African cities were included in our ranking?
Here are the top 10 smart cities in Africa, according to the 2024 Smart City Index
