Liveability Index: Lagos among world’s 10 worst cities to live In – New report reveals

Four African cities have been listed among the 10 lowest-ranked cities in the world in the 2026 Global Liveability Index released by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU).

The report assessed 173 cities across the world based on five key areas: stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure.

The rankings measure how comfortable and suitable cities are for everyday living.

The African cities that made the bottom 10 list are Harare in Zimbabwe, Lagos in Nigeria, Algiers in Algeria, and Tripoli in Libya.

Tripoli was ranked as the lowest-rated city in Africa and the second-worst city globally. The Libyan capital placed 172nd out of 173 cities with an overall score of 41 out of 100. Only Damascus in Syria ranked lower.

Harare ranked 165th with a score of 45. The city performed relatively well in education, scoring 67, but its healthcare score of 33 affected its overall ranking.
Lagos came in 168th position with a score of 44.

The city received a low stability score of 30 and a healthcare score of 38. However, it recorded a better performance in infrastructure with a score of 54.

Algiers ranked 169th with an overall score of 43. While the city scored 54 in healthcare, its infrastructure score of 30 contributed to its low ranking.
According to the report, factors such as armed conflicts, political instability, economic challenges, and poor infrastructure continue to affect the quality of life in many cities around the world.

The report noted that Tripoli’s low ranking reflects the impact of years of conflict and instability. Lagos and Harare continue to face challenges linked to rapid population growth, pressure on public services, and inadequate infrastructure.

Algiers recorded mixed results, with stronger healthcare services but weaker infrastructure.

Other cities in the bottom 10 include Tehran in Iran, Kyiv in Ukraine, Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea, Karachi in Pakistan, and Dhaka in Bangladesh. Damascus in Syria ranked last among all 173 cities.

The EIU Global Liveability Index is widely used by governments, businesses, and international organizations to assess living conditions in major cities.

It considers factors such as safety, healthcare, education, culture, and infrastructure when evaluating the quality of life in urban areas.