While African nations gained "flag independence" (nominal political freedom) in the mid-20th century, the concept of a Sovereign Africa argues that true independence has not yet been achieved because of continued economic and political manipulation by former colonial powers and global superpowers (often referred to as neocolonialism).
African countries and the African Union must change their narrative from “achieving security”, in energy, finance, food, and all other dimensions to realising sovereignty.
Here is a breakdown of what "Sovereign Africa" means across different dimensions:
1. Economic Sovereignty (Resource Nationalism)
This is the most prominent aspect of the movement. It rejects the historical model where Africa exports raw materials (gold, oil, cocoa, uranium) cheaply and imports finished goods at high prices.
Control of Resources: It demands that African nations control the extraction and pricing of their natural resources.
Beneficiation: Instead of exporting raw crude oil or rough diamonds, Sovereign Africa advocates for refining and manufacturing within the continent to keep the profits local.
Monetary Independence: A major point of contention is the CFA Franc (used in West and Central Africa), which is tied to the Euro and historically linked to the French Treasury. Sovereignty advocates demand their own currencies to control their own monetary policy.
2. Political Autonomy
This aspect focuses on self-determination in geopolitics.
Rejection of Paternalism: It rejects the idea that Western nations (the US, France, the UK) or international bodies (the UN, IMF) have the right to dictate African domestic policy or approve its leaders.
Non-Alignment: A Sovereign Africa reserves the right to trade with whomever it wants—whether that is China, Russia, the West, or India—based solely on what benefits Africa, rather than choosing "sides" in global conflicts.
Pan-Africanism: Many proponents argue that individual African states are too small to be truly sovereign against global giants. Therefore, sovereignty is often linked to the success of the African Union (AU) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
3. Security Sovereignty
This relates to the military and defense sectors.
"African Solutions to African Problems": This is a popular slogan insisting that African conflicts should be resolved by African peacekeepers and mediators, rather than by foreign intervention.
Removal of Foreign Bases: Advocates call for the expulsion of foreign military bases (French, American, Chinese, etc.) from African soil, viewing them as instruments of control rather than protection.
4. Cultural and Intellectual Sovereignty
This is the psychological aspect of sovereignty, often referred to as "decolonizing the mind."
Narrative Control: It involves Africans telling their own stories and controlling their global image, rather than being defined by Western media stereotypes of poverty and war.
Education and Language: Promoting African languages and history in education systems, rather than relying on the curricula left behind by colonizers.
Restitution: The demand for the return of stolen African artifacts currently held in European and American museums.
Restitution for slavery.
In major slaveholding empires (Britain, France, the Netherlands), governments spent huge public sums to indemnify slave owners for the loss of their “property.”
These amounts represented some of the largest state payouts of the 19th century, and in today’s terms translate to many billions.
Enslaved people never received restitution at emancipation—no meaningful compensation for their unpaid labor, suffering, or loss of liberty.
Why is this phrase trending now?
The term has gained significant momentum recently due to geopolitical shifts, particularly in the Sahel region (Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger).
Military leaders in these countries have staged coups using the rhetoric of "Sovereign Africa," expelling French ambassadors and troops, and accusing France of continued neocolonial exploitation.
It is also rising due to the emergence of a multipolar world (the rise of BRICS), which gives African nations more leverage to negotiate better deals rather than being dependent solely on the West.
In short, Sovereign Africa is a demand for a transition from independence on paper to independence in practice. It envisions a continent that feeds itself, defends itself, processes its own resources, and negotiates with the rest of the world as an equal partner rather than a subordinate.
What are your thoughts on a Sovereign Africa?