Algiers has emerged as Africa’s top-performing city in the Gigacity Index 2026, ranking 34th globally in the latest assessment by international technology research firm Omdia, which evaluates fixed broadband performance across 50 major cities worldwide.
According to Algeria’s Ministry of Post and Telecommunications, the capital was placed in the Silver category, 11 positions ahead of Cape Town, which ranked second in Africa. Algiers also outperformed Cairo, Nairobi and Lagos, as well as major international cities including Berlin, Sydney, Istanbul and Buenos Aires.
Near-universal fibre coverage drives Algiers’ ranking
Algiers recorded close to 100% FTTH (fibre-to-the-home) coverage, the highest level among the African cities assessed, helping it score 50 out of 100 for network infrastructure.
That infrastructure score placed the capital ahead of Riyadh at 43 points, Berlin at 47, Istanbul at 49 and Sydney at 41.
Broadband performance was also a key component of the assessment. Some 7% of households in Algiers have access to speeds exceeding 500 Mbps, while 3% benefit from gigabit-level connections. Overall, 90% of subscribers receive speeds above 100 Mbps, while latency was also identified as a strong aspect of the capital’s network performance.
Omdia described Algeria as an emerging broadband market that has moved rapidly to deploy fibre infrastructure under a nationwide expansion strategy, a shift it identified as a key factor behind Algiers’ position at the top of the African ranking.
Algiers was one of just two African cities to secure a Silver classification, alongside Cape Town, while the remaining African cities assessed were placed in the Bronze category. Globally, Algiers recorded the same overall score as London, with 36 points.
The ranking highlights the impact of sustained public investment in telecommunications infrastructure and the expansion of fibre networks, as Algeria accelerates the modernisation of its digital connectivity and works to extend high-speed broadband access nationwide.
Source: https://www.dzair-tube.dz/en/algiers-tops-africa-in-omdias-gigacity-index-2026/
