Kampala vs Kano

Kampala and Kano are level on the CIRA Index at 40. Kampala grades better on 8 measures, Kano on 5; the same 35 measures from public sources for both.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• CIRA Index: Kampala 40, Kano 40
• OECD: Kampala 53, Kano 39
• UN Tourism: Kampala 47, Kano 41
• UNDRR: Kampala 43, Kano 37

Theme by theme

• Demand and seasonality: Kampala 65, Kano 50
• Economy and jobs: Kampala 13, Kano 50
• Climate and hazards: Kampala 55, Kano 25
• Water and environment: Kampala 44, Kano 38
• Community and housing: Kampala 100, Kano 25
• Access and continuity: Kampala 29, Kano 33

Where Kampala is stronger

• Recovery against 2019: 89.2 % of 2019 visitor nights reached in the latest full year (country figure) (Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities (MTWA) - Tourism Performance Statistics 2024, 2024). Between 80 and 90: grade 1/4.
• Hotel bed or room occupancy: 68.3 % average annual occupancy (Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities (MTWA) - Statistical Abstract 2025, Jan–Sep 2024). Between 65 and 75: grade 3/4.
• Extreme heat days: 0 days a year at or above 35°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). At or below 5: grade 4/4.
• Tropical nights: 8.2 nights a year with a minimum at or above 20°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). At or below 10: grade 4/4.
• Water scarcity: low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 3/4.
• Rent growth: 1 % change in rents over the last 12 months (Knight Frank Uganda, The Kampala Property Market Performance Review H2 2024, H2 2024). At or below 3: grade 4/4.
• Tourism crisis and recovery plan: Crisis communication only, ad hoc (Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities (MTWA), 2024–2026). Grade 1/4.
• Government effectiveness: 34.4 World Bank WGI percentile rank, 0–100 (country figure) (World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2025). Between 20 and 40: grade 1/4.

Where Kano is stronger

• Unemployment rate: 7.6 % of the labour force (region figure) (National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Nigeria Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2023, 2023). Between 5 and 8: grade 3/4.
• Flood hazard: very low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 4/4.
• Municipal waste per resident: 204.4 kg per resident per year (ResearchGate / An Analysis of Municipal Solid Waste in Kano Metropolis, Nigeria, 2025). At or below 350: grade 4/4.
• Access redundancy: 3 independent ways in: international airport, intercity rail, port, motorway (Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria / Nigerian Railway Corporation / Federal Ministry of Works, 2026). Between 3 and 4: grade 3/4.
• Travel advisory: 3 stricter of the US and Canadian government advisory for the country, 1 (normal precautions) to 4 (do not travel) (country figure) (US State Department and Government of Canada travel advisories, 2026-09-29). Between 2.5 and 3: grade 1/4.

Country context (World Economic Forum)

• Nigeria: #104 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026

Kampala in full · Kano in full

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