7 tallest buildings in Africa

At a Glance

• Africa’s tallest buildings reflect rapid urban growth and rising global investment interest.
• Egypt, Algeria, Morocco and Ethiopia lead with record-setting towers shaping modern skylines.
• Landmark towers attract investors, boost jobs and strengthen economic transformation across Africa.

Africa’s skyline is scaling greater horizons, shaped by iconic landmarks that reflect accelerated urban growth and economic ambition from Cairo to Casablanca.

These landmark structures reflect rapid urban expansion, stronger economies, and bold architectural ambition.

Egypt’s Iconic Tower, the tallest building in Africa at 393.8 meters, anchors the New Administrative Capital’s commercial district and signals the country’s modern push.

Algeria’s Great Mosque of Algiers, Morocco’s Mohammed VI Tower, and Ethiopia’s Commercial Bank HQ add to a growing list of towers drawing global investors, boosting job creation, and redefining Africa’s urban future.

Together, these top seven structures profiled by shore.africa elevate Africa’s global profile, spur job creation, and reinforce the continent’s growing role in shaping the cities of the future.

1. Iconic Tower
   Country: Egypt
   Height: 393.8 meters tall(77 floors)
   Location: located in the New Administrative Capital. This skyscraper in Egypt’s New Administrative Capital is not only the tallest in the country but also the tallest building in Africa. Completed in 2024, it serves as a mixed-use development, primarily for office use.
   
   
   
   
2. Great Mosque of Algiers Tower
   Country: Algeria
   Height: 264.3 meters (36 floors)
   Location: Algiers, Algeria. Completed in 2019, the Great Mosque of Algiers Tower—also known as the Djamaa El Djazair minaret—is the tallest structure in Algeria and the tallest minaret in the world. Part of the Grand Mosque complex, it features a combination of Islamic architecture and modern design, housing observation decks, cultural spaces, and a library. The tower stands as a symbol of Algeria’s architectural ambition and religious heritage.
   
   
   
3. Mohammed VI Tower
   Country: Morocco
   Height: 250 meters tall (55 floors)
   Location: Located in Salé, near the Bouregreg River. Completed in 2023, this skyscraper is the tallest building in North Africa and the second tallest in Africa. It features a mix of residential, office, and hotel spaces and is designed to meet international green building standards, including LEED Gold and HQE certifications.
   
   
   
4. The Leonardo
   Country: South Africa
   Height: 234 meters tall( 55 floors)
   Location: mixed-use development in Sandton, Johannesburg. The Leonardo is located in Sandton, Johannesburg. Completed in 2019, it is the tallest building in South Africa and the fourth tallest in Africa.
   
   
   
5. Carlton Centre
   Country: South Africa
   Height: 223 meters tall (50 floors)
   Location: office and shopping complex in Johannesburg. Completed in 1973
   
   
   
   
6. Hassan II Mosque (Minaret)
   Country: Morocco
   Height: 210 meters tall
   Location: Located in Casablanca. Completed in 1993, the minaret of the Hassan II Mosque is the tallest religious structure in the world. Overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, it is a defining landmark of Moroccan architecture and Islamic heritage
   
   
   
   
7. Commercial Bank of Ethiopia HQ
   Country: Ethiopia
   Height: 209.3 meters tall (46 floors)
   Location: Located in Addis Ababa. Completed in 2021, this skyscraper is the tallest building in Ethiopia and East Africa. It serves as the headquarters of the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia and symbolizes the country’s growing financial and economic ambitions.