Cairo showed moderate economic performance but lagged in research and development, while Johannesburg led in economic strength, as London held the top spot and Tokyo overtook New York for second place in the latest city rankings.
According to africa.businessinsider, Cairo in Egypt and Johannesburg in South Africa were the continent’s only representatives on the list, placing 46th and 48th respectively, well below the global frontrunners, but still within a highly competitive field dominated by long-established urban giants.
Cairo posted a score of 86.4 in economy and 16.0 in research and development, reflecting moderate economic scale but relatively weak innovation capacity. The city recorded a cultural interaction score of 102.6, while its livability score stood at 328.6, indicating ongoing urban pressures. Cairo also scored 86.0 in environment and 127.6 in accessibility.
Johannesburg showed comparatively stronger economic performance, with a score of 113.5 in economy, but lagged sharply in research and development at 3.9. The city recorded 82.5 in cultural interaction, 225.1 in livability, 120.9 in environment, and 112.7 in accessibility.
The rankings come from the Global Power City Index (GPCI), which measures how effectively cities attract people, capital, and businesses, what it describes as urban “magnetism.” The index evaluates cities across six dimensions: Economy, Research and Development, Cultural Interaction, Livability, Environment, and Accessibility, offering a layered picture of global competitiveness.
Beyond headline rankings, the GPCI highlights the structural strengths and constraints that shape cities’ prospects in an increasingly volatile global landscape.
Global pressures reshaping cities
At the top, London held onto its crown for the 14th straight year, while Tokyo overtook New York for the first time since the index was launched, marking a significant shift among the world’s leading cities.
In 2025, sustained inflation has continued to strain urban living conditions globally, while climate resilience and sustainability commitments have emerged as decisive factors in determining which cities remain attractive in the long run.
