Addis Ababa is entering a decisive moment as African cities increasingly compete not just on growth, but on their ability to convert momentum into investable, job creating urban economies. As digital services, logistics, AI enabled platforms and climate resilient infrastructure expand across the continent, the focus is shifting toward cities that can deliver at scale—with reliable systems, predictable rules and coordinated execution.
In the Global South City Competitiveness Index (GS CCI) 2025/2026, Addis Ababa ranks 47th out of 48 cities, placing it in the Nascent Tier. The result does not reflect a lack of growth, but rather the distance between rapid expansion and the institutional, infrastructure and business environment foundations needed to sustain it. The Index is clear: in the coming cycle, cities that win will be those that pair growth with delivery—particularly in digital infrastructure, governance capacity and workforce readiness. (press release)
