Largest population
Nigeria has 242,431,832 people in the 2026 medium projection.
Africa population pyramid 2026
1,584,985,259 people in 2026 (projected), a region with 58 country and area profiles in our directory.
- 2026 population
- 1.58Bmedium projection
- Median age
- 19.5 years
- Under age 15
- 38.4%
- Age 65+
- 3.8%
Africa population pyramid
2026 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex
Medium projection
Africa population pyramid for 2026: males on the left and females on the right
100+
95–99
90–94
85–89
80–84
75–79
70–74
65–69
60–64
55–59
50–54
45–49
40–44
35–39
30–34
25–29
20–24
15–19
10–14
5–9
0–4
Hover over or tap a bar to see exact values.
Estimate or projection?
The UN series provides historical estimates through 2023. Figures from 2024 onward—including 2026—are medium-scenario projections, not counts or predictions guaranteed to occur.
Africa age structure
In 2026, children under 15 make up 38.4% of Africa’s projected population, compared with 3.8% aged 65 or older. The conventional working-age group, 15–64, accounts for 57.8%.
By 2050, the medium scenario places the population at 2,466,647,618—a 56% increase from 2026. The 65+ share is projected to reach 5.8%.
Births, deaths, and migration in Africa
The region is projected to record 47,561,903 births and 11,885,985 deaths in 2026, a natural increase of 35,675,918, with net migration of −440,156. Births outnumber deaths in every remaining year of the medium scenario through 2100. Between 2000 and 2023, cumulative net migration was −14,723,331.
Annual values; dashed lines after 2023 are the UN medium projection.
Mid-year population for every year; the medium scenario reaches 2.47B in 2050.
Subregions of Africa
The UN divides Africa into 5 subregions. Their age structures often differ more from one another than the regional average suggests.
| Subregion | 2026 population | Median age | Fertility | Under 15 | 65+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Africa | 526,382,563 | 18.5 | 3.89 | 39.9% | 3.1% |
| Middle Africa | 226,082,168 | 16.5 | 5.28 | 44.5% | 2.9% |
| Northern Africa | 280,740,471 | 25.1 | 2.85 | 31.1% | 6.0% |
| Southern Africa | 74,868,913 | 28.1 | 2.25 | 26.6% | 6.7% |
| Western Africa | 476,911,144 | 18.4 | 4.19 | 40.1% | 3.1% |
Demographic contrasts within Africa
A regional pyramid is an aggregate, not a description of every country. The profiles within Africa range from a median age of 14.6 years in Central African Republic to 51.0 years in Saint Helena. Those age structures imply different balances of schools, working-age cohorts, and older-age services.
Youngest median age
Central African Republic has a median age of 14.6 years and 48.2% under 15.
Fastest 2026 growth
Central African Republic has projected annual growth of +3.3%.
Countries and areas in Africa
| Rank | Country or area | 2026 population | Median age | Under 15 | 65+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nigeria | 242,431,832 | 18.3 | 40.0% | 3.1% |
| 2 | Ethiopia | 138,902,185 | 19.3 | 38.5% | 3.4% |
| 3 | Egypt | 120,101,175 | 24.7 | 31.1% | 5.4% |
| 4 | Democratic Republic of the Congo | 116,452,162 | 15.9 | 45.8% | 3.1% |
| 5 | Tanzania | 72,563,780 | 17.6 | 42.1% | 3.0% |
| 6 | South Africa | 65,453,084 | 28.9 | 25.6% | 7.1% |
| 7 | Kenya | 58,636,412 | 20.3 | 35.7% | 3.1% |
| 8 | Sudan | 53,282,719 | 18.8 | 39.8% | 3.5% |
| 9 | Uganda | 52,761,470 | 17.1 | 42.7% | 2.3% |
| 10 | Algeria | 48,028,334 | 28.8 | 29.4% | 7.0% |
| 11 | Angola | 40,215,180 | 16.7 | 43.8% | 2.9% |
| 12 | Morocco | 38,762,441 | 30.1 | 24.8% | 8.8% |
| 13 | Mozambique | 36,639,850 | 16.6 | 43.9% | 2.7% |
| 14 | Ghana | 35,697,557 | 21.6 | 35.0% | 3.9% |
| 15 | Madagascar | 33,522,052 | 19.4 | 38.6% | 3.5% |
| 16 | Ivory Coast | 33,494,346 | 18.5 | 40.0% | 2.7% |
| 17 | Cameroon | 30,640,817 | 18.2 | 40.8% | 2.8% |
| 18 | Niger | 28,814,878 | 15.7 | 45.8% | 2.6% |
| 19 | Mali | 25,932,275 | 15.9 | 45.4% | 2.3% |
| 20 | Burkina Faso | 24,601,700 | 18.0 | 40.5% | 2.7% |
| 21 | Malawi | 22,785,535 | 18.4 | 39.6% | 2.6% |
| 22 | Zambia | 22,521,915 | 18.2 | 40.5% | 2.1% |
| 23 | Chad | 21,560,380 | 15.7 | 46.0% | 2.1% |
| 24 | Somalia | 20,305,907 | 15.6 | 46.5% | 2.6% |
| 25 | Senegal | 19,366,548 | 19.8 | 37.3% | 3.7% |
| 26 | Zimbabwe | 17,273,580 | 18.3 | 39.6% | 3.5% |
| 27 | Guinea | 15,441,992 | 18.5 | 40.2% | 3.5% |
| 28 | Benin | 15,170,420 | 18.2 | 40.9% | 3.2% |
| 29 | Rwanda | 14,889,693 | 20.2 | 36.7% | 4.1% |
| 30 | Burundi | 14,729,157 | 16.6 | 43.2% | 2.6% |
| 31 | South Sudan | 12,436,037 | 19.0 | 37.1% | 3.2% |
| 32 | Tunisia | 12,415,138 | 33.4 | 23.0% | 10.3% |
| 33 | Togo | 9,930,918 | 19.2 | 38.8% | 3.3% |
| 34 | Sierra Leone | 8,996,744 | 19.9 | 37.2% | 3.3% |
| 35 | Libya | 7,539,852 | 28.0 | 26.2% | 5.4% |
| 36 | Republic of the Congo | 6,637,786 | 18.7 | 39.4% | 3.1% |
| 37 | Liberia | 5,853,949 | 19.0 | 38.6% | 3.4% |
| 38 | Central African Republic | 5,698,984 | 14.6 | 48.2% | 2.2% |
| 39 | Mauritania | 5,461,319 | 17.5 | 42.0% | 3.3% |
| 40 | Eritrea | 3,682,669 | 19.5 | 37.1% | 4.3% |
| 41 | Namibia | 3,153,246 | 21.5 | 36.3% | 3.9% |
| 42 | Gambia | 2,884,079 | 18.8 | 39.2% | 3.3% |
| 43 | Gabon | 2,647,400 | 21.6 | 35.9% | 4.2% |
| 44 | Botswana | 2,603,388 | 23.7 | 31.8% | 4.1% |
| 45 | Lesotho | 2,389,336 | 22.1 | 33.6% | 3.9% |
| 46 | Guinea-Bissau | 2,297,808 | 19.6 | 37.8% | 3.3% |
| 47 | Equatorial Guinea | 1,984,468 | 20.9 | 36.9% | 3.9% |
| 48 | Eswatini | 1,269,859 | 22.7 | 32.6% | 4.4% |
| 49 | Mauritius | 1,265,059 | 38.3 | 14.3% | 14.7% |
| 50 | Djibouti | 1,199,459 | 25.2 | 28.5% | 5.1% |
| 51 | Comoros | 899,010 | 20.7 | 36.6% | 4.4% |
| 52 | Réunion | 886,298 | 38.4 | 20.2% | 16.9% |
| 53 | Western Sahara | 610,813 | 32.8 | 22.7% | 7.0% |
| 54 | Cabo Verde | 529,630 | 29.5 | 23.8% | 7.5% |
| 55 | Mayotte | 347,536 | 17.3 | 42.1% | 2.9% |
| 56 | Sao Tome and Principe | 244,994 | 19.7 | 37.2% | 4.0% |
| 57 | Seychelles | 134,959 | 34.6 | 19.6% | 9.0% |
| 58 | Saint Helena | 5,148 | 51.0 | 13.2% | 28.3% |
Source and interpretation
Regional age groups and totals come directly from the UN WPP 2024 medium series. Country groupings follow the UN M49 regions and subregions used in the source; territories and statistical areas may appear separately. Projection results depend on future fertility, mortality, and migration assumptions.
Questions about Africa
What is the population of Africa in 2026?
The UN WPP 2024 medium scenario projects Africa's 2026 population at 1,584,985,259.
Which is the most populous country or area in Africa?
Nigeria is the largest profile in this regional directory, with a projected 2026 population of 242,431,832.
Is Africa's population projected to grow by 2050?
The medium scenario shows a 55.6% increase between 2026 and 2050.