Top 5 African countries with the worst traffic in 2025

A high traffic index implies severe congestion, lengthy travel times, and a general decrease in transportation efficiency.

The traffic index measures the intensity of traffic congestion in a city or nation. It accounts for travel times, traffic delays, and the overall inefficiency of the transportation system.

Cities like Lagos (Nigeria), Nairobi (Kenya), and Cairo (Egypt) are recognized for their extreme traffic congestion, which has a substantial influence on everyday living and economic output.

A good number of roadways in Africa are poorly maintained, small, or inadequate to accommodate expanding populations.

This is a primary reason why traffic congestions persist on the continent.

Additionally, a lack of dependable and efficient public transportation services encourages more individuals to rely on their personal automobiles.

Rapid urbanization without effective urban planning causes overcrowding and increased automobile traffic.

And another major factor contributing to high congestion levels is poor enforcement of traffic regulations which can subsequently lead to chaotic driving conditions.

Some of the immediate consequences of high traffic congestion are long commute times, which could also entail that employees spend excessive hours stuck in traffic instead of contributing to economic activities.

There’s also the effect it has on businesses, concerning higher logistics costs due to delays in the transportation of goods and services.

Additionally, fuel wastage can spur from high traffic congestion as some vehicles consume more fuel when idling in traffic, increasing the cost of transportation and putting additional financial pressure on citizens.

Simply put, in many African countries , a high traffic index is a serious issue with wide-ranging effects.

With that said, here are the countries with the highest traffic congestion in 2025, according to Numbeo’s quality of life index.

Numbeo’s data shows the traffic index of just 6 African countries. Indicating that the list is not all encapsulating of the continent.