2095 Megacities

By the year 2095, the landscape of megacities has dramatically shifted, with urban giants like Lagos, Jakarta, and Dhaka surpassing traditional powerhouses such as Tokyo and New York in both size and influence. Lagos, with a population exceeding 70 million, has become Africa’s economic and cultural nexus, its explosive growth rooted in 21st-century investments in technology and infrastructure. Jakarta, having relocated its administrative capital to Nusantara, has continued to sprawl, now home to over 60 million people, its history marked by resilience in the face of climate change and flooding. Dhaka, once constrained by geography, has expanded vertically and outward, integrating smart city technologies to support its 55 million residents. In contrast, cities like Tokyo and New York have seen population stabilization or decline due to aging demographics and stringent migration policies, though they remain global centers for finance and innovation. The megacities of 2095 are defined by rapid adaptation, with histories shaped by migration, climate resilience, and technological integration, reflecting broader global population trends toward the Global South and the rise of new urban epicenters.

Data from UN World Urbanization Prospects