This is a list of currently active separatist movements in Africa. Separatism includes autonomism and secessionism. What is and is not considered an autonomist or secessionist movement is sometimes contentious. Entries on this list must meet three criteria:
- They are active movements with living, active members.
- They are seeking greater autonomy or self-determination for a geographic region (as opposed to personal autonomy).
- They are the citizen/inhabitants of the conflict area and do not come from another country.
Under each region listed is one or more of the following:
De facto state: for regions with de facto autonomy from the government
Proposed state: proposed name for a seceding sovereign state
Proposed autonomous area: for movements toward greater autonomy for an area but not outright secession
Ethnic Group(s): for the ethnic groups made up of the area
De facto autonomous government: for governments with de facto autonomous control over a region
Government-in-exile: for a government based outside of the region in question, with or without control
Political party (or parties): for political parties involved in a political system to push for autonomy or secession
Militant organisation(s): for armed seporatist organisations
Advocacy group(s): for non-belligerent, non-politically participatory entities
Ethnic/Ethno-religious/Racial/Regional/Religious group (s): for information on what group of people calls for change for each individual movement listed
Kabyle
Ethnic group: Kabyles
Proposed state: Kabylie
Political party: Movement for the Autonomy of Kabylie
Government-in-exile: Provisional Government of Kabylia (Anavad)
Lunda-Tchokwé
Ethnic group: The Lunda-Tchokwé
Proposed state: Democratic Republic of Lunda-Tchokwé (República Democrática da Lunda-Tchokwé) (RDLT)
Government-in-exile: Partido Democrático da Defesa do Estado Lunda-Tchokwé (PDDELT)
Claimant group: Manifesto Jurídico Sociológico do Povo Lunda-Tchokwé (MJSPL), also an Advocacy group
Political party: Partido Democrático da Defesa do Estado Lunda-Tchokwé (PDDELT)
Traditional Kingdom: Lunda-Tchokwe Kingdom
Status: Juridical Fight on ICC
Leaders: Dr. Jota Filipe Malakito (The Founder Leader)
Movements: Mulher Unida da Lunda-Tchokwé (MULT), Pioneiros Unidos da Lunda-Tchokwé (PULT), Juventude Unida da Lunda-Tchokwé(JULT)
News Broadcast: www.diariodomanifestojuridicosociologicodopovolundes.com
Vindicating area: The Forgotten Portuguese Protectorate of Lunda (The entire East Part of current Angola) or current North-Lunda, South-Lunda, Moxico and Kuando-Kubango
Extension Vindicating area : 602.709 Km2
Population : 2.692.723 ( Since the 2014 )
Cabinda
Ethnic group: Cabindans
Proposed state: Republic of Cabinda
Government-in-exile: Frente para a Libertação do Enclave de Cabinda (FLEC) (member of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization)
Political party: Frente para a Libertação do Enclave de Cabinda (FLEC)
Militant organization: Forças Armadas de Cabinda (FAC)
Bakassi Peninsula
Ethnic group: Calabars
Proposed state: Democratic Republic of Bakassi
Pressure group: Bakassi Movement for Self-Determination
Militant organization: Bakassi Freedom Fighters
Ambazonia (member of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization and Organization of Emerging African States)
Ethnic group: Southern Cameroons
Proposed state: Federal Republic of Southern Cameroon, Ambazonia
Political party: Southern Cameroons National Council
Pressure group: Southern Cameroon Liberation Movement
Militant organisation: Southern Cameroon Peoples Organization
Northern Muslim regions
Ethnic group: Muslims in the Central African Republic
Proposed state: Republic of Logone
Pressure group and militant organization: Séléka
Anjouan
Ethnic group:
Proposed state: Anjouan
Political parties: Anjouan People's Movement, Mouvement Populaire Anjouanais, Mawana
Mohéli
Ethnic group:
Proposed state: Democratic Republic of Mwali
South Congo (Brazzaville)
Pressure group: Provisional Assembly and governance of the State of South Congo
Proposed state: State of South Congo
Loango
Pressure group: the royal clan "Tchimongo-Lumbu-Tchinkondi"
Traditional Kingdom: Kingdom of Loango
Bas-Congo
Pressure group: Bundu dia Kongo
Proposed state: Kingdom of Kongo
Katanga
Political parties: Union of Independent Federalists and Republicans
Militant organizations: Mai Mai Kata Katanga
Status: Sporadic violence
Kwili, Kivu, Bukavu
Proposed state: United Republic of Kivu
Status: Insurgency
Proposed states:
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
Religious group: Sunnis
Proposed state: Sinai Province
Copts
Ethnic group: Coptic
Proposed state: Coptic State or Coptic Pharaonic Republic
Pressure group: Coptic Christians living abroad (Coptic diaspora)
Bioko
Ethnic group: Bubi
Proposed state: Bioko Island
Pressure group: Movement for the Self-Determination of Bioko Island
Status: The indigenous Bubi people are now outnumbered by Fernandinos and Fang immigrants from the mainland.
Afar
Proposed state: Islamic State of Afaria
Political party: Afar Liberation Front
Gambela
Militant organization: Gambela People's Liberation Front
Ogaden (Somali Region)
Proposed state: Republic of Ogadenia (member of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization) or Somalia
Political party: Ogaden National Liberation Front, Western Somali Liberation Front, Ogaden Republican Army
Pressure group: Ogaden Youth Association
Oromia
Proposed state: Republic of Oromia (also known as Oromia) (member of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization)
Militant organizations: Oromo Independence Movement, Oromo Liberation Front, Islamic Front for the Liberation of Oromia, Conference of Oromiya Peoples Liberation Front, Oromo Youth Revolutionary Movement (also known as Abiddaa)
Pressure group: The National Youth Movement for Freedom and Democracy (also known as Qeerroo)
Tigray
Proposed state: Independent Republic of Tigray
Political party: Tigrayan People's Liberation Front
Sidama Zone
Proposed state: Republic of Sidama
Political party: Sidama Liberation Front
Reunion
Secessionist movements:
Political party: Lorganizasion Popilèr po Libèr nout Péi (Lplp) – Popular Front for National Liberation: composed of Nasion Rénioné, Mar, Drapo rouz, Patriot rénioné and Mir.
Political party: Marxist–Leninist Communist Organisation of Réunion
Mayotte continues to have autonomist movements despite the island having voted to become France's 101st department in 2011.
Mombasa
Proposed state: Mombasa Republic
Political party: Mombasa Republican Council
Wajir County, Mandera County, Garissa County (Former North Eastern Province)
Proposed state: Western Republic of Somalia
Proposed states:
Cyrenaica
Ethnic group: Libyan
Proposed autonomous area: Semi-autonomous "State of Cyrenaica"
Political Groups: Movement for Federal Libya, National Union Party, Cyrenaica Youth Movement
Senior Leaders: Dr. Abubakr Buera, Mr.Faraj Kezza, Dr.Azza Huwati, Ms.Najat Obedi, Mr. Mohamed Buisir, Mr. Ahmad Sannusi, Ms.Sarah Ali
Youth Leaders: Fathi Agori, Enas AlJazwi, Muheddine Mansuri, Osama Buera, Essa Arabi, Zeid Erragas, Mohamed Ali, Mustafa Orefy, Mabrooka Najm
Toubouland
Ethnic group: Toubou
Proposed state: Toubouland
Militant organization: Toubou Front for the Salvation of Libya
Azawad
Ethnic Groups: Tuareg, as well as Songhai, Fula and Arabs/Moors
Proposed state: Azawad
Political party: National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad
Militant organisations: National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad
Rodrigues
De facto states:
Western Sahara
Ethnic group: Sahrawi
Proposed state: Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
De facto state: Free Zone
Government-in-exile: Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic based in refugee camps in Tindouf Province, Algeria
Political party: Polisario Front
Militant organisation: Sahrawi People's Liberation Army
Status: Western Sahara War
Proposed states:
Rif
Ethnic group: Riffian
Proposed state: Rif
Political party: RIM
Militant organisation(s) : RIM
Rif Independence Movement – occurred in Morocco during the 1920s, and was revitalized in 2013. Rif Independence Movement is a charter member of the Organization of Emerging African States.
Caprivi
Ethnic Group: Lozi
Proposed state: Free State of Caprivi Strip/Itenge
Political party: Caprivi African National Union
Militant organization: Caprivi Liberation Army
Agadez
Ethnic Group: Tuareg
Proposed state: Agadez
Militant organization: Revolutionary Armed Forces of the Sahara
Political parties: Taniminnak Tidot N Tenere, Tidot Union of Tenere
Proposed state: Akal N Tenere, Tenere Republic
Sharia law in Nigeria
Ethnic group: Nigerian Muslims, mostly Hausa and Fulani
Proposed state: Arewa Republic
Biafra
Ethnic group: Igbo
Proposed state: Republic of Biafra (defunct)
National Liberation Movement: Bilie Human Rights Initiative
Political party: Biafran Congress Party .BCP., Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra,
Separatist movements: The Indigenous People of Biafra, Biafra Zionist Movement, Biafra Rebirth
Government in exile: Biafran Government in exile
Radio News Broadcast: www.radiobiafra.co, www.peopleofbiafra.org, www.biafragalaxy.com
Niger Delta
Ethnic group: Ijaw
Proposed state: Niger Delta Republic
Militant organization: Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force
Ogoni
Ethnic group: Ogoni
Political party: Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People
Oduduwa
Ethnic group: Yoruba
Proposed state: Oduduwa Republic of the Yorubas
Political party: Oodua Peoples Congress
Rwanda
Batwaland (member of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization)
Ethnic group: Twa
Proposed state: Batwaland
Political party: Association for the Promotion of Batwa
Casamance
Ethnic group: Diola
Proposed state: Casamance
Militant organization: Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance
Somaliland
Ethnic group: Somali
De facto state: Somaliland
Political organisations: Government of Somaliland
Militant organization: Somaliland Armed Forces
Boer/Afrikaner homeland
Ethnic group: Afrikaners
Proposed state: Volkstaat, (member of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization)
Political Party: National Conservative Party of South Africa , Freedom Front Plus
Pressure group: Orania Movement
Western Cape
Proposed State: Western Cape or Western Cape, Northern Cape and parts Eastern Cape and Free State.
Political Party: Cape Party
Nuerland
Ethnic Group: Nuer
Militant organization: Nuer White Army, SPLA-Nasir (1991 - 1994)
Status: Ongoing insurgency
Canary Islands (Main article: Canarian nationalism)
Ethnic group: Canarians
Political parties (autonomist): Coalición Canaria, Partido Nacionalista Canario, Centro Canario Nacionalista, Nueva Canarias
Political parties (secessionist): FREPIC-AWAÑAK, Alternativa Nacionalista Canaria, Alternativa Popular Canaria, Unidad del Pueblo, Inekaren
Youth movement: Azarug
Proposed state: Canary Islands (sometimes also Western Sahara and Tamazgha)
Darfur
Ethnic group: Fur, Zaghawe, Masalit
Proposed state: Darfur
Militant organization: Darfur Liberation Front
Status: War in Darfur
Eastern Front
Ethnic group: Beja, Rashaida
Militant organization: Beja Congress, Rashaida Free Lions
Zanzibar
Ethnic group: Swahili
Proposed state: Zanzibar
Political party: Civic United Front (member of Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization), Uamsho
Uganda
Buganda
Ethnic group: Ganda
Proposed state: Kingdom of Buganda
De facto autonomous area: Kingdom of Buganda
Youth movement: Buganda Youth Movement
Rwenzururu
Ethnic group: Konjo people
Proposed state: Yiira Republic
Barotse
Ethnic Group: Lozi
Proposed state: Barotseland
Militant organization: Barotse Patriotic Front
Matabeleland
Ethnic Group: Matabele
Proposed state: Matabeleland, Mthwakazi Free State
Militant organization: Mthwakazi Liberation Front (M.L.F.)
Political party: Matabeleland Freedom Party
