Africa, a continent known for its numerous unique cultures and tourist attractions often gets a negative perception when it comes to its level of safety. However, there are cities across the continents where their residents enjoy a safe and peaceful life like it or not.
This mid-2024 report by data platform, Numebo, after considering key factors, sheds light on the top 10 safest African cities. The cities and their counties are listed below along with their respective safety indexes:
1. Tunis, Tunisia 51.9
2. Cairo, Egypt 49.3
3. Algiers, Algeria 48.4
4. Casablanca, Morocco 44.6
5. Nairobi, Kenya 40.5
6. Harare, Zimbabwe 38.7
7. Windhoek, Namibia 32.7
8. Lagos, Nigeria 31.6
9. Cape Town, South Africa 26.2
10. Port Elizabeth, South Africa 22.3
What makes a city safe?
A city’s safety is determined by several different factors, ranging from crime rate to effective law enforcement and social services. Here are a few factors that determine a city’s safety:
1. Effective law enforcement: This involves police presence, crime prevention measures, and community policing. Having effective and responsive law enforcement agencies builds trust and confidence.
2. Urban planning and design: This includes the use of cameras in strategic locations, well-lit streets, and roads and the safety of public spaces.
3. Emergency services: The ability to receive quick responses from fire and medical emergency departments.
4. Crime rate: Probably the most important, a low crime rate is naturally a key indicator of the level of security in a city. The ability to freely move around without the fear of attack, whether during the day or at night, greatly determines the safety index of a city.
5. Infrastructure: Having transport safety with safe and reliable public transportation systems determines a city’s safety index. Along with measures to reduce traffic accidents like traffic lights, speed limits, and pedestrian crossings.
Additionally, the presence of building codes and regulations to prevent accidents and structural damage goes a long way.
Things to note
While this list offers a valuable overview of safety in African cities, every city has its unique challenges. Safety is an evolving factor, and individual experiences can vary.
