Africa made a modest but notable appearance in this year’s ranking of the world’s most powerful cities.. Cairo and Johannesburg ranked among the most powerful cities in the world according to the Global Power City Index (GPCI).
Cairo demonstrated moderate economic strength but struggled in research and development, while Johannesburg outperformed in economy.
London retained its top position, with Tokyo surpassing New York for the second spot, signifying notable changes in city rankings.
Cairo in Egypt and Johannesburg in South Africa were the continent’s only representatives on the list, placing 46th and 48th respectively, well below the global frontrunners, but still within a highly competitive field dominated by long-established urban giants.
Cairo posted a score of 86.4 in economy and 16.0 in research and development, reflecting moderate economic scale but relatively weak innovation capacity. The city recorded a cultural interaction score of 102.6, while its livability score stood at 328.6, indicating ongoing urban pressures.
Cairo also scored 86.0 in environment and 127.6 in accessibility.
Johannesburg showed comparatively stronger economic performance, with a score of 113.5 in economy, but lagged sharply in research and development at 3.9. The city recorded 82.5 in cultural interaction, 225.1 in livability, 120.9 in environment, and 112.7 in accessibility.
The rankings come from the Global Power City Index (GPCI), which measures how effectively cities attract people, capital, and businesses, what it describes as urban “magnetism.” The index evaluates cities across six dimensions: Economy, Research and Development, Cultural Interaction, Livability, Environment, and Accessibility, offering a layered picture of global competitiveness.
Beyond headline rankings, the GPCI highlights the structural strengths and constraints that shape cities’ prospects in an increasingly volatile global landscape.
