Top 10 African cities with the highest crime index mid-2025

The highest crime index cities in Africa are mostly in South Africa, which holds the top six spots. Lagos, Africa’s largest city, follows closely behind.

• Business Insider Africa presents the top 10 African cities with the highest crime index mid-2025.
• The list is courtesy of Numbeo.
• The highest crime index cities in Africa are mostly in South Africa, which holds the top six spots. Lagos, Africa’s largest city, follows closely behind.

In many parts of Africa, urban life is marked by a mix of opportunity and adversity. While cities offer economic growth, education, and innovation, they also grapple with persistent safety concerns.

Some of the continent’s largest and most dynamic urban centres are also the ones facing the most severe crime issues, ranging from petty theft and armed robbery to more organized forms of criminal activity.

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Crime in African cities is deeply tied to socio-economic conditions. High unemployment, income inequality, lack of social services, and rapid urbanization contribute to environments where crime can thrive.

As more people migrate from rural to urban areas in search of better opportunities, cities have become densely populated, often faster than infrastructure and policing can keep up. This mismatch fuels frustration, marginalization, and ultimately, rising crime.

In several cities, residents regularly report feeling unsafe, especially at night. Property crimes such as burglary, theft, and carjacking are common, while violent crimes, including assault and kidnapping, are growing concerns.

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Another major contributor to crime is the perception and reality of ineffective law enforcement. In many urban areas, police presence is limited, and trust in the justice system is low. This has led to a rise in informal security arrangements, including neighbourhood vigilante groups, which sometimes cause more harm than good.

The highest crime index cities in Africa are mostly in South Africa, which holds the top six spots. Lagos, Africa’s largest city, follows closely behind.

Below are the top 10 African cities with the highest crime index mid-2025:

Rank	City	Crime Index	Safety Index
1	Pietermaritzburg, South Africa	82.6	17.4
2	Pretoria, South Africa	81.9	18.1
3	Johannesburg, South Africa	80.8	19.2
4	Durban, South Africa	80.4	19.6
5	Port Elizabeth, South Africa	78.3	21.7
6	Cape Town, South Africa	73.6	26.4
7	Lagos, Nigeria	68.4	31.6
8	Windhoek, Namibia	67.0	33.0
9	Harare, Zimbabwe	61.5	38.5
10	Nairobi, Kenya	59.6	40.4