Assess why the governments of newly independent African nations faced so many social challenges.

The newly independent governments were eager to provide their people with a better life but many of the political and economic issues that they faced after becoming independent had a negative impact on their ability to overcome the problems. In addition, they also inherited problems from the colonial governments. The borders of the states that the new governments assumed control of were European-drawn borders within which there were many different ethnic groups; Nigeria, for example, had 160 different groups. Swaziland was almost entirely occupied by a single ethnic group within which there were many sub-divisions. Language and religious beliefs also created divisions.

Few targeted specific groups to improve their standard of living. In Botswana, for example, the Bushman Development Programme was extended to all people in remote areas; wealthier people could also receive subsidies. The new states had to deal with the fact that infrastructure was undeveloped, rates of numeracy and literacy were already low, and the labour force lacked skills. Many of the states were not economically viable and thus they struggled to deal with the social challenges they inherited. Thus, while decolonisation was regarded as an opportunity for development, the countries found that they lacked capital and technical expertise.

However, many undertook ambitious projects including roadbuilding, establishing schools, and health services. But corrupt governments often led to projects benefiting government elites and their supporters. New governments were inexperienced and were most concerned with remaining in power. By the 1970s Sub-Saharan Africa had become associated with economic stagnation and persistent poverty. Coups and civil wars disrupted social development. Mozambique, for example, was entrenched in a long civil war up to the 1990s.

All social change was limited by the rapid growth in population which contributed to massive migration to the urban areas. Cities like Lagos, Accra, Abidjan, Freetown, Dakar, and many others grew rapidly. These cities spread without planning and developed vast slums. Consequently, these migrants formed the urban underclass. Education rates were low because of the lack of proper schooling facilities and unequal opportunity for education across countries.

The post-independence urban-based growth pattern can be seen from Mozambique to Ghana to Tanzania. In many African countries the rich urban and poor rural divide compounded political, ethnic, and religious divisions. Unemployment became a problem with youths being the greatest victims. In West African countries there were many young people who were unskilled, jobless, and alienated. They lived in slum conditions in the expanding cities of the sub-region and constituted potential material for mob action in times of political and economic crises.

Another serious impediment to development in West Africa has been diseases such as like malaria and yellow fever. There was also the problem of drought in the Sahel countries, which began in the late 1960s. Drought was caused mainly by the expansion of the Sahara Desert and human activities. Long periods of drought badly hit Senegal, Mali, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Niger, and northern Nigeria. With little or no rain sometimes for years, crops and animals perished. Drought led to famine. Many people died of malnutrition, lack of resistance to diseases, and hunger. Coping with the drought situation diverted considerable portions of the already meagre resources West African countries to drought relief.