Our updated top 10 list of tallest buildings in Africa. Enjoy! Top 10 tallest buildings in Africa are.

Number 1 tallest building in Africa: Iconic tower in Egypt

The iconic tower in Egypt is now the number 1 tallest building in Africa. It is a skyscraper in the New Administrative capital of Egypt. The Iconic Tower has a total structural height of 385.8m. It has a total of 77 floors, mostly for office use in the Central Business District in New Administrative Capital (NAC). 

Construction of the project officially began in May 2018 and was finished on 13 January 2022. China State Construction Engineering Corporation was the main contractor and the architect is Dar al-Handasah Shair & Partners. This makes it the number 1 tallest building in Africa.

Number 2: The Leonardo

The Leonardo was built in Johannesburg, South Africa and has a height of 227m. It has a massive penthouse that is 2100 square meters and has 3 stories. The entire building has 200 apartments and 11 commercial floors mostly for office use. 

The construction began on 17 November 2015 and was completed in mid April 2019. It is at 75 Maude Street in Sandton. This makes it the number 2 of the tallest buildings in Africa.

Number 3: Carlton Centre

The Carlton Centre is also in Johannesburg and is just slightly shorter than the Leonardo at 223m. It has a total of 50 floors. It is used as a shopping centre. What makes this building interesting is that almost half (46%) of the floor area is below the ground floor. The Carlton Hotel is linked by the underground shopping centre, which has over 180 shops. 

The construction of the Carlton Centre began in January 1967 and it was completed in 1973. The building cost a total of R88 million to complete and was the tallest building in Africa until the completion of The Leonardo in April 2019. That makes it the number 3 of the tallest buildings in Africa.

Number 4: The Commercial Bank of Ethiopia Headquarters

The Commercial Bank of Ethiopia Headquarters is 209.3m tall and has a total of 46 floors. It is situated in Addis Ababa in Ethiopia. It is the tallest building in Ethiopia, it houses the biggest bank in Ethiopia, which is also a state-owned bank. 

The China State Construction Engineering Corporation built the building, the same company that built the tallest building in Africa, the Iconic Tower. Construction began on 27 June 2015 and was completed on 13 February 2022. The building has 2 Restaurants on the top floors, underground parking, 8 conference halls and an emergency waiting area in the event of disasters.  That makes it the number 4 of the tallest buildings in Africa.

Number 5: Britam Tower

The Britam Tower is 200.1m tall and is situated in Nairobi, Kenya. It has a total of 43 floors. It is owned by the British-American Investments Company (Britam). That is why the building is called the Britam Tower. The tower has a very unique prismic shape with 3 wind turbines on the top to create some electricity for the tower. 

The construction of the Britam Tower started in September 2013 and was completed in September 2017. The owners also let out some of the floors to other companies, preferably international and within the financial sector. The Britam Tower is currently also the tallest building in East Africa and the tallest building in Central Africa. This makes it number 5 on the list of the tallest buildings in Africa.

Number 6: Nairobi Global Trade Centre Office Tower

The Nairobi Global Trade Centre Office Tower is also based in Nairobi, Kenya. According to the Tower’s website: It has six security systems, 360 degree natural lighting, over 1000 parking spaces, a Sky Private club with abundant retail amenities. This all contributes to an ultimate business operation experience in Kenya. The building was completed in 2021. This makes it number 6 on the list of the tallest buildings in Africa.

Number 7: Ponte Apartments

Ponte Apartments is the 3rd tallest building in Johannesburg, South Africa and is the final South African building to be on this list. It was built in 1975 and has a height of 172.8m. This makes it the tallest residential building in Africa at the date of writing this article. Ponte Apartments has a unique round design that is seen in very few buildings in Africa. 

It is situated in Berea, close to Hillbrow, which makes it the tallest building in Berea and the surrounding area. 

In the 1980’s and 1990’s gangs moved into the building and it was made very undesirable. However, in 2017 the building was completely refurbished with 417 apartments. It is now more desirable and contains lots of high-quality tenants. This makes it number 7 on the list of the tallest buildings in Africa.

Number 8: New Administrative Capital Building C04

This building is also part of the New Administrative Capital Project in Egypt, where the number one highest building in Africa is. The building topped out at 170 metres and has a total of 36 floors. 2 Floors are underground and 34 are above ground. This makes it number 8 of the tallest buildings in Africa.

Number 9: UAP Old Mutual Tower

This is the third and final building in this list that was built in Nairobi, Kenya. It is 163m tall and has a total of 33 floors. It became the tallest building in Kenya on it’s completion in 2015. However, it was surpassed by the Briton Tower in 2017 and the Number 6 Tower in 2021. It is owned by the UAP Old Mutual Group who has its headquarters in Kenya. The building was completed on 5 July 2016. This makes it number 9 on the list of the tallest buildings in Africa.

Number 10: NECOM House

The Necom House building is a skyscraper located in Lagos, Nigeria. It is one of the oldest buildings on this list since it was built in 1979. Interestingly, it has a communications spire at the top which also serves as a lighthouse beacon for the Lagos Harbour. 

The Necom House has suffered 2 fires so far, one in 1983 which did a lot of damage to the tower and one in 2015 in which the top part of the building was damaged. It has a total of 32 floors. The Necom House is the tallest building in Nigeria and all of West Africa.
Now you know where the tallest buildings in Africa are and more information about them. If you would like to construct a very tall building, it is best to consult with a land surveyor. Which country do you think will build the next tallest building in Africa?