Africa’s Iconic Coastal Cities Face Existential Climate Crisis

Rising sea levels fueled by climate change could swallow some of Africa’s most iconic coastal cities by 2100. Two cities – Lagos, Nigeria, and Alexandria, Egypt – are particularly at risk, with factors like rapid urbanization and weak infrastructure exacerbating the problem. Lagos, Africa’s most populous city, faces relentless encroachment from the Atlantic, with millions of residents and vital infrastructure vulnerable to displacement. Meanwhile, Alexandria—rich in history—sinks three millimeters annually, worsened by Nile damming and offshore gas drilling. The UN warns that sea levels could rise by one meter in 2050, flooding a third of the Nile Delta and devastating Alexandria. Without urgent climate action, these vibrant cities risk vanishing beneath the waves.

Source: Business Insider Africa