10 African countries with the highest population at the start of 2024

• Business Insider Africa presents the 10 African countries with the highest population at the start of 2024.
• This list is courtesy of WorldPopulationReview.
• As expected Nigeria has the largest population in Africa.

Africa has one of the world's youngest populations, with a large share under the age of 25.

While this demographic structure creates opportunities for a creative and active workforce, it also presents obstacles in terms of education, employment, and the need for strong social and economic policies to capitalize on the youth bulge.

The burgeoning population offers both opportunities and challenges for economic development. On one hand, a large and youthful workforce can drive innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic growth.

However, population growth also intersects with environmental concerns. Balancing the need for economic development with sustainable practices becomes imperative to avoid the over-exploitation of natural resources and mitigate the impact on ecosystems.

With that said, here are the 10 African countries with the highest population at the start of 2024.

This list was compiled by WorldPopulationReview, an independent for-profit company dedicated to providing current world population data and demographics.

10 African countries with the largest population