Lagos ranks above Dubai, Miami, emerges 19th best city in 2024

Lagos has been ranked as the 19th best city to visit in the world, according to Time Out, a global magazine that publishes travel guides and magazines.

Apart from Lagos, South Africa’s Cape Town (ranked second) and Ghana’s Accra (44th) were the only African cities that featured on the list, issued by the London-based publication.

Time Out, which tags itself as the ultimate guide to the best art and entertainment, food and drink, attractions, hotels and things to do in the world’s greatest cities, said it drew its conclusion from a survey of more than 20,000 city dwellers around the world, along with its network of editors.

The criteria used to rate the cities include food (quality and affordability), culture, nightlife, how the city makes people feel, strong community vibes, access to green space, historic sites, and much more.

The report encouraged global citizens to visit the city.

“Whether you’re a staunch mainlander or from Lekki, there’s something for everyone in Lagos, Africa’s most populous city

“Both the city and its suburbs are expanding – just check out live-work-play concept Eko Atlantic City. Just out of town, Epe, on the north side of Lekki Lagoon, is experiencing a boom.

“When it comes to standard of living, Lagos has a lot going for it – 96 percent of locals are happy, 98 percent would call Lagos beautiful and the city got a 92 percent friendliness rating, too,” the report read.

The report also highlighted  Victoria Island’s trifecta of swanky resorts, food haunts, and nightlife,  Ikeja’s Kuti’s Bistro, owned by the legendary afrobeat family, for serving up “reliably delicious food”, and  Oniru Beach as a relaxation spot.

In 2023, the Economist Intelligence Unit said Lagos was the fourth worst city to live in the world.

Lagos was ranked above Algiers, the capital of Algeria; Tripoli, Libya’s capital; and Damascus, the capital of war-torn Syria.

The report surveyed 173 cities and used 30 qualitative and quantitative factors across five broad categories: stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure.

See the full list.

1. New York City, United States
2. Cape Town, South Africa
3. Berlin, Germany
4. London, United Kingdom
5. Madrid, Spain
6. Mexico City, Mexico
7. Liverpool, UK.
8. Tokyo, Japan
9. Rome, Italy
10. Porto, Portugal
11. Paris, France
12. Mumbai, India
13. Lisbon, Portugal
14. Chicago, US
15. Manchester, UK
16. São Paulo, Brazil
17. Los Angeles, US
18. Amsterdam, The Netherlands
19. Lagos, Nigeria
20. Melbourne, Australia
21. Naples, Italy
22. Singapore
23. Miami, US
24. Bangkok, Thailand
25. Lima, Peru
26. Budapest, Hungary
27. Beijing, China
28. Dubai, United Arab Emirates
29. Montreal, Canada
30. Glasgow, UK
31. Sydney, Australia
32. Bueno Aires, Argentina
33. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
34. Manila, Philippines
35. Seoul, South Korea
36. Hanoi, Vietnam
37. San Francisco, US
38. Barcelona, Spain
39. Abu Dhabi, UAE
40. New Orleans, US
41. Philadelphia, US
42. Austin, US
43. Boston, US
44. Accra, Ghana
45. Marseille, France
46. Taipei, Taiwan
47. Istanbul, Turkey
48. Osaka, Japan
49. Hong Kong, China
50. Vancouver, Canada