The Top 22 Tallest Buildings in Africa

The past number of decades have seen an architectural revolution in Africa with a number of new skyscrapers taking over the continent’s skylines. These Babelic structures include office buildings, apartment blocks, retail outlets, and iconic religious centers. From famous locales like Cairo and Johannesburg to lesser-known towns like Umhlanga, travel across this vast continent to discover the 22 tallest buildings in Africa!

1. Iconic Tower, Egypt: 393.8 m (1,292 ft)

Given that it’s the tallest building in Africa, the Iconic Tower in Egypt is appropriately named. Located in the New Administrative Capital (NAC) in the Cairo Governate, the Iconic Tower reaches an astonishing height of 393.8 meters (1,292 feet). This impressive skyscraper contains a total of 77 floors, approximately half of which are reserved for office space. The other floors are divided between apartments, a five-star hotel, and a public viewing platform. The tower’s total area measures more than 241,000 square meters (2,590,000 square feet).

Construction began in May 2018 with an expected end date sometime in 2024. Workers completed the building’s steel structure in August 2021.

2. Great Mosque of Algiers Tower, Algeria: 264 m (867 ft)

The second-tallest building in Africa is the Great Mosque of Algiers Tower, also known as Djamaa el Djazaïr. The mosque sits in Algeria’s capital city of Algiers and soars to an impressive height of 264 meters (867 feet). Not only is it one of the tallest buildings in Africa, but it’s also the third-largest mosque in the world with the world’s tallest minaret. It features a prayer hall (salat) measuring 20,000 square meters (220,00 square feet) and a dome with a height of 70 meters (230 feet) and a diameter of 50 meters (160 feet). The building boasts 37 floors.

Construction began in August 2012 and ended in April 2019.

3. Mohammed VI Tower, Morocco: 250 m (820 ft)

The Mohammed VI Tower ranks as the third-tallest building in Africa with a staggering height of 250 meters (820 feet). It lies in the northwestern city of Salé, which borders Morocco‘s capital city of Rabat. The head of the project, Othman Benjelloun, took his inspiration for its rocket-shaped design from his visit to the NASA space agency. This skyscraper holds 55 floors divided between a luxury hotel, offices, high-end apartments, and a viewing terrace. The total area of the building comes to 102,800 square meters (1,106,530 square feet).

Construction began in July 2017 with a projected finish date sometime in 2023.

4. The Leonardo, South Africa: 234 m (768 ft)

The fourth-tallest building in Africa is The Leonardo at 234 meters (768 feet). Located in the Sandton area of Johannesburg, South Africa, this skyscraper boasts 55 floors and was briefly the tallest building in Africa from 2019 to 2021. It contains apartments, penthouses, office space, restaurants, a bar, a gym, a crèche, a spa, and a landscaped garden.

Construction began in November 2015 and finished near the end of 2019 after the building topped out in April of the same year.

5. Carlton Centre, South Africa: 223 m (732 ft)

The fifth-tallest building in Africa is the Carlton Centre, which stands 223 meters (732 feet) high. This 50-story skyscraper lies on Commissioner Street in Johannesburg, the capital of South Africa. It includes both office and retail space with an underground shopping center linking it to the historic Carlton Hotel. Over 46 percent of its floor area sits belowground.

Construction began in January 1967 and finished in 1974, though the building officially opened in 1973.

6. Hassan II Mosque minaret, Morocco: 210 m (690 ft)

Africa’s sixth-tallest building is Casablanca’s Hassan II Mosque, whose main claim to fame is its soaring minaret. At 210 meters (690 feet) high, the minaret is the second-tallest in the world, reaching a height of 60 stories. At its apex is a laser pointing east toward Mecca. With a maximum total capacity of 105,000 worshippers, the mosque accommodates 25,000 people inside its walls and 80,000 people on the exterior grounds. The building looks out to the Atlantic Ocean from a promontory, which allows worshippers to pray over the sea. It also offers tours of the interior to modestly dressed visitors.

Groundbreaking began in July 1986 with construction finishing in August 1993.

7. Commercial Bank of Ethiopia Headquarters, Ethiopia: 209.3 m (687 ft)

Close behind the Hassan II Mosque minaret is the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia Headquarters with a height of 209.3 meters (687 feet). This towering bank lies in Ethiopia’s capital city, Addis Ababa (alternately Addis Abeba), and claims the title of the tallest building in East Africa. It contains 53 floors, 46 of which are aboveground, with parking lots that reach as deep as 20 meters underground. It also has two five-story podiums. Its total floor area is 150,000 square meters (1,614,587 square feet).

Groundbreaking for the bank began in October 2015. The building topped out in November 2018 with construction finishing in February 2022.

8. Britam Tower, Kenya: 200.1 m (656 ft)

Africa’s eighth-tallest building is the Britam Tower in the Upper Hill neighbourhood of Kenya’s capital city, Nairobi. It stands 200.1 meters (656 feet) high with 32 usable floors and rentable office space totaling 32,516 square meters (350,000 square feet). The design of the building is unique, featuring a prismatic shape beginning as a four-sided square and finishing with a two-sided roof. The mast soars 60 meters (197 feet) high with three helical wind turbines. Attached to the tower is a 12-story car park with a maximum capacity of 1,000 vehicles.

Construction of Britam Tower began in September 2013 and finished four years later in September 2017.

9. New Administrative Capital Building D01, Egypt: 196 m (643 ft)

The ninth-tallest building in Africa is the New Administrative Capital Building D01, a skyscraper bearing the title of the tallest residential building on the African continent at 196 meters (643 feet) high. Within Egypt, it’s second in height only to the new Iconic Tower with a total of 49 floors. Construction began in 2015 on Egypt’s New Administrative Capital (NAC), a new urban community within the Cairo Governate, with a number of new skyscrapers taking their places against the skyline. The government plans to make the NAC its new capital city in place of Cairo.

As with the other NAC Buildings, construction began on the New Administrative Capital D01 in 2018.

10. New Administrative Capital Building C01, Egypt: 190 m (623 ft)

Another of the NAC’s new skyscrapers is the New Administrative Capital Building C01, which stands 190 meters (623 feet) high. The building has 39 floors, claiming the title of the 10-tallest building in Africa. It functions as an office and administrative center.

As with the NAC Building D01, construction began on the New Administrative Capital Building C01 in 2018.

11. Nairobi Global Trade Centre Office Tower, Kenya: 184 m (604 ft)

Kenya’s second entry on our list of the tallest buildings in Africa is the Nairobi Global Trade Centre Office Tower in the capital city of Nairobi. This skyscraper stands 184 meters (604 feet) high with a total of 42 floors. It is the main building among a number of different high-rises that comprise the 7.5-acre Global Trade Centre. Its total floor area is 57,670 square meters (620,800 square feet), meaning it surpasses Kenya’s Britam Tower in terms of occupiable floor space.

Construction on the GTC Office Tower began in 2015 and finished in 2022.

12. Ponte City Apartments, South Africa: 172.8 m (567 ft)

One of the tallest buildings in Africa is Ponte City Apartments, which lies in the Berea suburb of Johannesburg. Reaching a height of 172.8 meters (567 feet) – 55 stories – it currently stands as the second-tallest residential skyscraper in Africa. Despite its improved status, the building has a dark past rooted in apartheid, poverty, and criminal activity. Its unique cylindrical design includes a central open core that allows additional light to filter into its many apartments.

Construction on the building finished in 1975 with a maximum housing capacity of 3,500 people.

13. New Administrative Capital Building C04, Egypt: 170 m (560 ft)

Among the tallest buildings in Africa is the New Administrative Capital Building C04, which stands at 170 meters (560 feet). Located in Egypt’s New Administrative Capital, this office and administrative center has a total of 34 floors.

Construction on the NAC Building C04 began in 2018 along with the other NAC Buildings.

14. UAP Old Mutual Tower, Kenya: 163 m (535 ft)

The third-tallest building in Kenya and the 14th-tallest building in Africa is the UAP Old Mutual Tower. It stands 163 meters (535 feet) high with a total of 33 stories and includes 29,000 square metres (310,000 square feet) of rentable space. It briefly held the title of the tallest building in Kenya after it deposed Times Tower upon its completion in 2015. The tower sits on Hospital Road in the Upper Hill neighbourhood of the capital city, Nairobi.

Construction on the building finished in August 2015 with the building opening for business in July 2016.

15. NECOM House, Nigeria: 160.3 m (526 ft)

Among the tallest buildings in Africa is NECOM House, a skyscraper that also claims the title of the tallest building in Nigeria. Located in the country’s most populous city, Lagos, this commercial building was once known as the NITEL Tower or the NET Building. It stands 160.3 meters (526 feet) high with a total of 32 stories.

Construction on NECOM House finished in 1979. The building has since endured two fires, one in 1983 and one in 2015.

16. New Administrative Capital Buildings C11 and C12, Egypt: 160 m (520 ft)

The New Administrative Capital Buildings C11 and C12 are twin towers in Egypt’s New Administrative Capital reaching identical heights of 160 m (520 ft). Each building stands 27 stories high and offers extensive office and administrative space.

Construction concluded on NAC Buildings C11 and C12 in 2022.

17. Basilica of Our Lady of Peace, Côte d’Ivoire: 158 m (518 ft)

The 17th-tallest building in Africa is the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace, which stands 158 meters (518 feet) high. Its maximum height includes the golden cross atop its dome. The church is located in the administrative capital of Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Yamoussoukro. Guinness World Records lists it as the largest church in the world, surpassing even St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. In fact, the diameter of its dome is twice that of St. Peter’s at 90 meters (295 feet). The Basilica of Our Lady of Peace has a maximum capacity of 30,000, including seating for 7,000 people.

Construction on the basilica began in 1985 and finished in 1989.

18. Tanzania Ports Authority headquarters, Tanzania: 157 m (515 ft)

One of the tallest buildings in Africa is the Tanzania Ports Authority headquarters in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. It also carries the distinction of being the tallest building in the country, rising to a height of 157 meters (515 feet) and 40 stories. The building lies at the Port of Dar es Salaam and is used to manage and operate Tanzanian ports.

Construction on the headquarters finished in 2015.

19. New Administrative Capital Buildings C07 and C08, Egypt: 155 m (509 ft)

Another set of Egyptian twin towers, the New Administrative Capital Buildings C07 and C08, rank among the tallest buildings in Africa. They each rise to a height of 155 meters (509 feet) and 31 floors. These twin structures function as office and administrative buildings in the country’s New Administrative Capital.

As with Egypt’s other NAC buildings, construction on C07 and C08 began in 2018. It concluded in 2022.

20. PSPF Towers A and B, Tanzania: 152.7 m (501 ft)

Tied for 20th place on our list of the tallest buildings in Africa are Tanzania’s PSPF Towers A and B. These twin office and retail towers stand 152.7 meters (501 feet) and 35 stories high. They are located in the city of Dar es Salaam.

Construction on PSPF Towers A and B began in 2011 and finished in 2014.

21. Marble Towers, South Africa: 152.1 m (499 ft)

Ranking 21st on our list is the Marble Towers, a skyscraper in Johannesburg’s Central Business District. At 152.1 meters (499 feet) and 32 stories high, this commercial office hub stands as one of the tallest buildings in South Africa. Built out of concrete and marble, it includes an eight-story parking garage.

Construction on the Marble Towers, previously known as the Sanlam Centre, finished in 1973.

22. Pearl Dawn, South Africa: 152 m (499 ft)

The final entry on our list of the tallest buildings in Africa is Pearl Dawn, the fifth-tallest building in South Africa. This poetically-named skyscraper sits in the town of uMhlanga (also spelled Umhlanga) near Durban on the coast of KwaZulu-Natal. Nearly identical in height to the Marble Towers, Pearl Dawn rises to a height of 152 meters (499 feet) and 31 stories.

Construction on Pearl Dawn began in 2006 and finished in 2010.

Summary Table of the 22 Tallest Buildings in Africa