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Kigali has once again been named Africa’s cleanest city in 2025 by The Africa Report, with Rabat holding firmly onto second place, even as the methodology behind the rankings evolved. The latest survey expanded significantly, adding new cities and drawing on nearly four times as many respondents—most of whom were permanent residents rather than magazine readers. That shift reshaped perceptions, particularly in South Africa, where Cape Town and Johannesburg fell sharply as locals proved more critical. Similar declines hit Accra and Alexandria, while newcomers like Tangier and Marrakech debuted high. Nigeria offered a bright spot, with Abuja and Lagos climbing. Meanwhile, Cotonou emerged as a standout success, rising to third place after sustained investments in sanitation, governance, and public awareness—proof that cleaner cities are built over time.
The African Report