Countries in Africa Ranked by CO2 emissions (total) (2024)
CO2 emissions (total): each country's latest value (2019–2024), ranked from highest to lowest. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0).
Summary
South Africa ranks #1 with 440.2 Mt CO2e. That is 1.5 times Egypt, Arab Rep. in second place (291.6 Mt CO2e). The top five are South Africa, Egypt, Arab Rep., Algeria, Nigeria and Morocco. Together the top 10 account for 83.7% of the total across the 53 countries in Africa listed. The median across all 53 is 5.21 Mt CO2e; São Tomé and Principe is last at 0.148 Mt CO2e. South Africa's figure has risen 27% since 2000 (347.3 Mt CO2e to 440.2 Mt CO2e in 2024).
- #1
- South Africa · 440.2 Mt CO2e
- Median
- 5.21 Mt CO2e
- Coverage
- 53 countries in Africa
- Data year
- 2024
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
South Africa 28.6%Egypt, Arab Rep. 18.9%Algeria 12.1%Nigeria 8.6%Morocco 4.5%All others 27.3%
Full ranking
| Rank | Country | CO2 emissions (total) (Mt CO2e) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Africa | 440.2 |
| 2 | Egypt, Arab Rep. | 291.6 |
| 3 | Algeria | 186.4 |
| 4 | Nigeria | 131.9 |
| 5 | Morocco | 70 |
| 6 | Libya | 64 |
| 7 | Tunisia | 32.2 |
| 8 | Angola | 28.1 |
| 9 | Ghana | 24.2 |
| 10 | Sudan | 21.9 |
| 11 | Kenya | 21.6 |
| 12 | Tanzania | 21.3 |
| 13 | Ethiopia | 19.4 |
| 14 | Côte d'Ivoire | 18.8 |
| 15 | Senegal | 14.2 |
| 16 | Zimbabwe | 12.9 |
| 17 | Zambia | 11.6 |
| 18 | Cameroon | 10.3 |
| 19 | Mozambique | 10.1 |
| 20 | Congo, Rep. | 8.46 |
| 21 | Uganda | 8.25 |
| 22 | Mali | 7.41 |
| 23 | Benin | 7.05 |
| 24 | Botswana | 6.9 |
| 25 | Burkina Faso | 6.48 |
| 26 | Congo, Dem. Rep. | 6.21 |
| 27 | Guinea | 5.21 |
| 28 | Gabon | 5.2 |
| 29 | Mauritania | 5.01 |
| 30 | Equatorial Guinea | 4.83 |
| 31 | Malawi | 4.79 |
| 32 | Madagascar | 4.68 |
| 33 | Mauritius | 4.41 |
| 34 | Namibia | 3.65 |
| 35 | Niger | 3.21 |
| 36 | Chad | 2.89 |
| 37 | Togo | 2.63 |
| 38 | Rwanda | 2.31 |
| 39 | Sierra Leone | 1.46 |
| 40 | Eswatini | 1.09 |
| 41 | Lesotho | 1 |
| 42 | Burundi | 0.969 |
| 43 | Djibouti | 0.895 |
| 44 | Seychelles | 0.878 |
| 45 | Liberia | 0.867 |
| 46 | Somalia, Fed. Rep. | 0.865 |
| 47 | Eritrea | 0.778 |
| 48 | Cabo Verde | 0.676 |
| 49 | Gambia, The | 0.492 |
| 50 | Comoros | 0.446 |
| 51 | Guinea-Bissau | 0.342 |
| 52 | Central African Republic | 0.337 |
| 53 | São Tomé and Principe | 0.148 |
About the top 10
#1 South Africa
South Africa ranks #1 on this list with 440.2 Mt CO2e.
- Capital
- Pretoria, Cape Town
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 64.75 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$427.18 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$6,598 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 66.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 63.8% of population (2025)
Largest cities: City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality, Johannesburg, Cape Town.
Also ranks #2 in unemployment rate · #2 in youth unemployment rate · #2 in income share of richest 10%.
#2 Egypt, Arab Rep.
Egypt, Arab Rep. ranks #2 on this list with 291.6 Mt CO2e.
- Capital
- Cairo
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 118.37 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$365.25 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$3,086 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 71.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 42.9% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Cairo, Alexandria, Giza.
Also ranks #1 in irrigated land share · #3 in deposit interest rate · #5 in remittances received.
#3 Algeria
Algeria ranks #3 on this list with 186.4 Mt CO2e.
- Capital
- Algiers
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 47.44 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$287.03 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$6,051 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 76.5 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 75.8% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Algiers.
Also ranks #1 in gross capital formation rate · #5 in education expenditure share of gdp · #10 in land area.
#4 Nigeria
Nigeria ranks #4 on this list with 131.9 Mt CO2e.
- Capital
- Abuja
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 237.53 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$290.79 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,224 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 54.6 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 63.8% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Lagos, Kano, Port Harcourt.
Also ranks #1 in under-5 mortality rate · #1 in maternal mortality ratio · #1 in children out of school (primary).
#5 Morocco
Morocco ranks #5 on this list with 70 Mt CO2e.
- Capital
- Rabat
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 38.43 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$182.37 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$4,673 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 75.5 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 63.1% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Casablanca, Tangier, Fez.
Also ranks #15 in firms using banks to finance investment share · #16 in school enrolment (primary) · #16 in remittances received.
#6 Libya
Libya ranks #6 on this list with 64 Mt CO2e.
- Capital
- Tripoli
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 7.46 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$48.1 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$6,449 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 71.1 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 87.9% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Tripoli.
Also ranks #1 in natural resource rents share of gdp · #1 in oil rents share of gdp · #2 in industry value added share of gdp.
#7 Tunisia
Tunisia ranks #7 on this list with 32.2 Mt CO2e.
- Capital
- Tunis
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 12.35 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$57.5 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$4,657 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 76.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 70.7% of population (2025)
Also ranks #9 in youth unemployment rate · #9 in gender parity index (school enrolment) · #16 in unemployment rate.
#8 Angola
Angola ranks #8 on this list with 28.1 Mt CO2e.
- Capital
- Luanda
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 39.04 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$122.17 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$3,130 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 64.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 71.5% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Luanda, Quilamba Quiaxi.
Also ranks #4 in gini index · #4 in oil rents share of gdp · #5 in income share of richest 10%.
#9 Ghana
Ghana ranks #9 on this list with 24.2 Mt CO2e.
- Capital
- Accra
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 35.06 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$114.21 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$3,257 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 65.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 58.9% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Kumasi, Accra.
Also ranks #11 in deposit interest rate · #14 in inflation rate · #21 in forest rents share of gdp.
#10 Sudan
Sudan ranks #10 on this list with 21.9 Mt CO2e.
- Capital
- Khartoum
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 51.66 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$60.16 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,165 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 66.5 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 34.9% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Khartoum, Omdurman.
Also ranks #2 in inflation rate · #4 in children out of school (primary) · #5 in refugee population by origin.
Profile facts: World Bank (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0); weather links go to Purr Weather, another ChowChow Labs site.
Source and method
CO2 emissions (total): each country's latest value (2019–2024), ranked from highest to lowest.
Source: The World Bank, indicator EN.GHG.CO2.MT.CE.AR5. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Retrieved: 2026-11-14.
The World Bank: Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e): EDGAR (Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research) Community GHG Database, Joint Research Centre (JRC) - European Commission (via World Development Indicators)
Original data provider, as recorded by the World Bank: EDGAR (Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research) Community GHG Database, Joint Research Centre (JRC) - European Commission; International Energy Agency (IEA).
Values are shown as published. Provider terms: The World Bank. All licences: Sources & licences.