17 African Countries That Changed Their Names After Colonialism (2026)

Names are symbolic and significant. In fact, in Yorubaland (home to one of Nigeria's dominant tribes), names are considered powerful enough to shape the trajectory of one’s life. 

Colonial rule swept across Africa in the late 19th and 20th centuries, with colonial masters renaming entire lands. 

When African nations gained independence, many decided to change their colonial titles, as these names, from the "Gold Coast" to "Rhodesia", were often painful reminders of European rule, resource exploitation, or the specific individuals who had conquered the land.

By renaming themselves, these countries reclaimed their history and chose titles that reflected their own cultures, landmarks, and people. 

As of 2026, here are African countries that have renamed themselves since the colonial era.

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In 2018, King Mswati III officially changed the country’s name from Swaziland to the Kingdom of eSwatini. 

The goal was to return to the original local name and to prevent international confusion between Swaziland and Switzerland.

In 2013, the government requested that the world use the Portuguese name, 'Cabo Verde', rather than the English translation. 

It was a move to standardise the country’s official identity on the global stage.

Under South African administration, the country was known as South-West Africa.

Upon gaining independence in 1990, it adopted the name Namibia, inspired by the Namib Desert, a neutral choice that avoided favouring any single ethnic group.

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Known as Upper Volta under French rule, the country was renamed in 1984 by the leader, Thomas Sankara. 

"Burkina Faso" combines two local languages to mean "the land of upright and honest people".

The colonial name "Rhodesia" came from the British imperialist Cecil Rhodes. 

After a long struggle for independence, the nation became Zimbabwe in 1980, named after the ancient stone city of Great Zimbabwe.

Fifteen years after independence from France, the country changed its name from Dahomey to Benin in 1975. 

The name was chosen to represent the Bight of Benin, a body of water that borders many of the country's diverse regions.

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Zambia shed its colonial name in 1964. The new name was inspired by the Zambezi River, which serves as a major geographical landmark and a vital life source for the nation.

Formerly a British protectorate called Bechuanaland, the country became Botswana in 1966. The name reflects the Tswana people, who make up the largest ethnic group in the country.

When the British protectorate of Basutoland gained independence in 1966, it officially became Lesotho, which translates to "the land of the Sotho people".

In 1964, the British colony of Nyasaland became Malawi. The name is believed to come from the "Maravi" empire or the word for "flaming waters", referring to the sun setting over Lake Malawi.

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This nation has seen several identity changes. It was the Belgian Congo until 1960. 

Later, under Mobutu Sese Seko, it was renamed Zaire in 1971. In 1997, it reverted to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The British named this region the Gold Coast due to its rich mineral deposits. 

When it became the first sub-Saharan colony to gain independence in 1957, it chose the name Ghana to honour a powerful ancient West African empire.

In 1960, the territory known as French Sudan gained independence. It adopted the name 'Mali' to link the new nation to the historic Mali Empire, once a world-leading centre of wealth and education.

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Tanzania is a unique case of a name born from a merger. In 1964, the mainland (Tanganyika) and the islands (Zanzibar) joined together.

They combined the first three letters of each territory to create the name "Tan-zan-ia."

Before gaining independence from France in 1977, this territory was known as the French Territory of the Afars and Issas. It was renamed Djibouti after its capital city and primary port.

Formerly a colony of Spain, the country changed its name from Spanish Guinea to the Republic of Equatorial Guinea upon gaining independence in 1968, highlighting its unique geography.

After a long war for independence from Portugal, the country became Guinea-Bissau in 1974. It added "Bissau" (the name of its capital) to distinguish itself from its neighbour, the Republic of Guinea.

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