[This is an excerpt from an article in The Round Table: The Commonwealth Journal of International Affairs and Policy Studies.]

Colonial disruption and exploitation

The late 19th-century colonial incursion – led by British, French, Portuguese and other European powers – fundamentally disrupted Africa’s sustainability paradigms (Dimkpa, Citation2015; Kamalu, Citation2019). Colonialism prioritised resource extraction and political domination, sidelining indigenous governance and ecological stewardship (Heldring & Robinson, Citation2012).

1. Resource Plunder: Unregulated mining of gold (South Africa), diamonds (Kimberley), and coal (Zimbabwe) caused irreversible environmental damage (Musemwa, Citation2009; Stephens, Citation2003). In the Congo Free State, forced rubber extraction under King Leopold II decimated populations and ecosystems (Beal, Citation2014; Johnson, Citation2014).
2. Land Dispossession: Fertile lands were seized for European settlers, as in Kenya, triggering ecological imbalance and social strife (Domínguez & Luoma, Citation2020; Onguny & Gillies, Citation2019). Railways and other infrastructure fragmented habitats to expedite resource export (Stephens, Citation2003).
3. Erosion of Indigenous Systems: Colonial administrations replaced sustainable subsistence farming with monoculture cash crops (e.g., cotton, cocoa), depleting soils and displacing biodiversity (Njau, Citation2014). Chemical-intensive practices polluted water sources (Raheem & Bako, Citation2015), while traditional conservation knowledge was suppressed (Ohenhen & Abakporo, Citation2024).

The colonial legacy continues to cast a long shadow over Africa’s development trajectory, with exploitative systems from that era persisting in new guises and continuing to shape the continent’s environmental and socio-economic landscape. The environmental costs of this inheritance are particularly stark, as the monoculture cash-crop systems imposed by colonial powers have evolved into patterns of deforestation, soil depletion and water scarcity that plague modern African agriculture (FAO, Citation2022). These ecological challenges are not merely environmental issues but represent the living consequences of economic models designed for extraction rather than sustainability.

Equally damaging are the entrenched social inequities rooted in colonial labour exploitation and displacement policies, which have hardened into systemic poverty and become triggers for contemporary conflicts (World Bank, Citation2020). The economic architectures left by colonial powers prioritised export value over human development, creating societies where inequality was structurally embedded rather than accidentally emergent.

Today’s African policymakers face the formidable challenge of overcoming this historical baggage, as they attempt to reconcile the demands of global export markets with the urgent need for sustainable development (AfDB, Citation2022). The path forward requires a dual approach: revitalising indigenous ecological knowledge that once maintained balance between human needs and environmental limits, while simultaneously addressing the structural inequities that colonial systems institutionalised.

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This historical perspective reveals that Africa’s current sustainability challenges cannot be fully understood – let alone solved – without acknowledging how colonial exploitation shaped the continent’s relationship with both its natural resources and its economic systems. The solutions must be equally comprehensive, combining traditional wisdom with modern innovation to create development paradigms that are truly African in their conception and equitable in their outcomes.

The colonial legacy and Africa’s contemporary sustainability challenges

The enduring legacy of colonialism continues to shape Africa’s trajectory as the continent grapples with the demands of sustainable development. Despite political independence, many African nations remain entangled in the economic exploitation, social inequalities and power imbalances institutionalised during colonial rule. This persistent influence manifests as neocolonialism, wherein former colonial powers and other global actors maintain disproportionate control over Africa’s resources and economic systems, undermining its pursuit of sustainability (Austin, Citation2010; Ocheni & Nwankwo, Citation2012).

Africa’s disproportionate climate burden and development paradox

Although Africa contributes only 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions (Al Jazeera, Citation2023), it suffers disproportionately from climate change impacts – droughts, floods and desertification – while simultaneously ranking lowest in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (United Nations, Citation2019). Chronic hunger, poverty and environmental degradation (FAO, Citation2021; Wudil et al., Citation2022) are exacerbated by development models inherited from colonialism, which prioritise resource extraction over equitable growth (Bayeh, Citation2015).

Imperialism and the resource curse

Modern imperialism perpetuates Africa’s dependency on raw material exports – cash crops, minerals, and fossil fuels – replicating colonial-era extractivism. This locks nations like the Democratic Republic of Congo (cobalt, copper) and Nigeria (oil) into volatile global markets, stifling industrialisation and exacerbating ecological harm (Anderson, Citation2023; Andreonia & Avenyo, Citation2023). Oil extraction in the Niger Delta, for instance, has devastated ecosystems and livelihoods (Bello & Amadi, Citation2019; Mohammed, Citation2021), illustrating how economic reliance on primary commodities entrenches inequality and environmental degradation (Olaigbe, Citation2023; Zaiimi, Citation2019).

Colonial hangovers and grassroots resistance in governance

Colonial governance structures endure, impeding sustainable resource management. Centralised, often corrupt systems marginalise local communities and prioritise short-term gains over long-term conservation (John et al., Citation2023). Yet, grassroots movements are challenging this status quo. For instance, community-led conservation, such as Kenya’s Maasai Mara reserves and Ghana’s agroecological farming, demonstrates the potential of bottom-up environmental stewardship (Barume, Citation2010; Martinson, Citation2024; Oduor, Citation2020). Indigenous advocacy demands inclusive governance, recognising traditional knowledge in resource management (IFAD, Citation2019; Obonyo, Citation2023).

The colonial legacy and the sustainability demands of contemporary international partnerships

The increasing involvement of China, the United States and European nations in Africa’s economy and conservation initiatives raises critical questions. While framed as ‘development partnerships’, these engagements risk replicating imperialist extraction (Mashele, Citation2016; Mlambo et al., Citation2024). The continent’s future hinges on whether such collaborations will prioritise equitable resource governance, and redistributing power to local communities. The creation of value-added industries will move the continent beyond raw material exports, while climate justice ensures that historical polluters are held accountable for mitigation support.

Africa stands at a critical juncture where the path to sustainability must simultaneously redress historical injustices while pioneering innovative solutions. The continent’s future hinges on three fundamental transformations that intertwine economic sovereignty, environmental stewardship and global justice.

Enemaku Idachaba is with the Department of Political Science, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.