It is no more news that the 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) will commence tomorrow when host nations Côte d’Ivoire tango Guinea-Bissau in the opening match day at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium.
Five Ivorian cities have been chosen to host matches across various stages of the tournament, and one of the chosen cities is Abidjan, which hosts the opening game of the tournament, among other high-profile matches.
Ahead of the opening match day, Peoples Gazette’s correspondent in Côte d’Ivoire for the AFCON noticed some striking similarities between Abidjan and the Nigerian city of Lagos.
Like many non-Nigerians who mostly mistake Lagos as the capital city of Nigeria, the city of Abidjan faces the same dilemma as people outside of Côte d’Ivoire often think Abidjan is the capital city of the AFCON host nation.
Rather, Yamoussoukro is the capital of Côte d’Ivoire, which is not as popular as Abidjan, just like Abuja.
Both are arguably the most populous and popular cities in the respective countries. Abidjan is the most populated city in Côte d’Ivoire, with more than six million people as of 2023, according to GeoNames.
On the other hand, Lagos is the most populous city in Nigeria, with more than 16 million inhabitants as of 2024, according to Macrotrends.
Just like Lagos, the city of Abidjan is no stranger to traffic congestion. During the journey from the Félix Houphouët Boigny International Airport to the CAF accreditation centre within Abidjan, several traffic congestion were observed.
Drivers could be seen arguing with one another inside the traffic jam, an act which is typically associated with the buzzing city of Lagos.
One would also be surprised the act of hastiness does not end with Lagos drivers as their counterparts use the same technique to beat the busy traffic.
Like Lagos, Abidjan has its own Lagos-styled BRT buses called ‘Monbus’ of which most of them have been branded with advertisements for the AFCON.
Talking about the story of Lagos would be incomplete without mentioning the slums of the city, which is also evident in sizable areas of Abidjan. Like some parts of Lagos, dumped refuse could be seen scattered all over some areas in the French-speaking country.
Overall, the city of Abidjan will witness loads of action throughout the tournament: the high matches between host nation Côte d’Ivoire and Nigeria, Egypt and Ghana and the third place playoff match as well as the grand finale.
