Africanization
Under Africanization means the change of place names or personal name to an African identity to better reflect and heritage of the colonial store. In some cases, changes are not an actual name change, but simply a transcription that is different from the European name (e.g. Antananarivo).
Examples
Names of people
- Joseph-Désiré Mobutu changed to Mobutu Sese Seko Nkuku wa za Banga (1972)
- François Tombalbaye changed to N'Garta Tombalbaye (1972)
- Étienne Eyadéma changed to Gnassingbé Eyadéma (1974)
- Francisco Macías Nguema changed to Masie Nguema Biyogo Ñegue Ndong (1976)
- Nelson Mandela changed to Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (1990)
Geographical names
countries
- Gold Coast changed to Ghana (1957)
- French Sudan changed to Mali Federation (1960)
- Nyassaland changed to Malawi (1964)
- Northern Rhodesia changed to Zambia (1964)
- Basutoland changed to Lesotho (1966)
- Bechuanaland changed to Botswana (1966)
- Democratic Republic of the Congo changed to Zaïre (1971, renamed 1997)
- Afar and Issa changed to Djibouti (1977)
- Southern Rhodesia or Rhodesia changed to Zimbabwe (1980)
- Upper Volta changed to Burkina Faso (1984)
- South West Africa changed to Namibia (1990)
- failed application to change South Africa in Azania
Others
- Bône changed to Annaba (1962)
- Astrida changed to Butare (1965)
- Elisabethville changed to Lubumbashi (1966)
- Léopoldville changed to Kinshasa (1966)
- Stanleyville changed to Kisangani (1966)
- Jadotville changed to Likasi (1966)
- Luluabourg changed to Kananga (1966)
- Fernando Póo Island changed to Bioko Island (1973)
- Fort-Lamy changed to N'Djamena (1973)
- Tananarive changed to Antananarivo
- Santa Isabel changed to Malabo (1973)
- Rio Muni changed to Mbini (1973)
- Bathurst changed to Banjul (1973)
- Lourenço Marques changed to Maputo (1975)
- Nova Lisboa changed to Huambo (1975)
- Sá da Bandeira changed to Lubango (1975)
- São Salvador do Congo changed to M'banza Congo (1975)
- Vila Luso changed to Luena (1975)
- Livingstone changed to Maramba (1980)
- Salisbury changed to Harare (1982)
- Northern Province changed to Limpopo (1994)
- Pretoria-Witwatersrand-Vereeniging changed to Gauteng (1994)
- Georgetown changed to Janjanbureh (1995)
- Eastern Transvaal changed to Mpumalanga (1995)
- MacCarthy Island changed to Janjanbureh Island (1995)
- MacCarthy Island (Division) changed to Central River Division (1995)
- Pretoria changed to Tshwane (controversial, 2005)
- Pietersburg changed to Polokwane (2006)
Religion conversion
Other name changes take place when an African person converts to another religion .
- David Jawara changed to Dawda Jawara
- Albert-Bernard Bongo changed to Omar Bongo
- Jean-Bédel Bokassa changed to Salah Eddine Ahmed Bokassa