Top 5 cleanest countries in Africa

by Bongiwe Mati

The African continent is one of the most beautiful continents in the world. It is rich in minerals, oil, gold, platinum with diverse cultural backgrounds in each country .

Made up by 54 countries, with the largest by land being Algeria and largest by population being Nigeria

Out of all the countries that make the continent, South Africa is the most improved and cosmopolitan country of them all.  It can easily be regarded as the New York of Africa.

South Africa might be modern with better infrastructure than other African countries, it sadly does not take the number one spot when it comes to the cleanest country in Africa.

In a 2023 statistics by news content and business intelligence focused information source Further Africa and Know Africa a research-based advisory source for those doing business in African countries provided a list of the most cleanest countries in Africa.

First place – Rwanda 

  • Home to the world’s remaining mountain gorillas, Rwanda has been placed as the most clean . According to Rwanda’s national park, Nyungwe Forest National Park, Rwandans are intentional about keeping their country clean. The national park further states that items such as dirt can easily harm the environment. Items such as biodegradable plastic bags and other materials were banned in Kigali, the Capital of Rwanda in 2008 with a fine of $150 and jail time of three to six months if found selling them.

WATCH: A video showing why Rwanda is the cleanest country in Africa.

Second place- Cape Town

  • Cape Town might not be the whole South Africa but it is a portion of it. Sitting pretty at the number two spot as per  Further Africa and Know Africa , the Mother City holds it down for South Africa.

Third place – Tunisia

  • Tunisia’s city Tunis places the country on the third spot of the cleanest countries in Africa according to both Know Africa and Further Africa. Information source Know Africa adds, “the city council maintains cleanliness in the city, piping wastewater under land and sea creates an environmentally safe disposal system in the city.”

Fourth place – Mauritius’s Port Louis

  • Mauritius sits perfectly on the fourth spot of Africa’s cleanest countries. The French colonial architecture city’s municipality according to research based advisory source Know Africa is hands on when it comes to the cleanliness of the city.

Fifth place – Johannesburg

  • Both Further Africa and Know Africa place Johannesburg on the fifth spot of Africa’s cleanest countries. This secures the City of Gold as the second cleanest country in South Africa.

Also see: 8 Destinations For First-Time Backpackers