The South African College is founded. As the institution grows, the name will be changed to the University of Cape Town. In 2023, the number of students will be more than 30,000.

The Ottoman Empire fleet arrives in Alexandria to surrender to Egyptian leader Muhammad Ali, following the defeat of the Ottoman’s land army in Syria against Ali’s forces. However, fearful of a new Egyptian Empire, Austria and Britain will intervene on the side of the Ottomans, mount a naval blockade of Egypt, and force Ali to give up his claim to Syria.

One of West Africa’s great shipping lines, Elder Dempster and Company, is formed. Company founder John Dempster hands out flyers in London announcing: “This Company intends to dispatch, early in January next, the first of their line of Steamers between Glasgow, Liverpool and the West Coast of Africa. The Steamers are to sail monthly, and the ports are Sierra Leone, Cape Palmas, Cape Coast Castle, Accra, Lagos, Benin Bonny, Old Calabar and Fernando Po. But arrangements will be made for their calling at other ports. The Steamers are being specially built for the African Trade and, besides being comfortably fitted up for passengers, they will have extensive cargo space.”

British colonial authorities complain that because of his carelessness as an administrator, Muhammad Rauf Pasha, the British-installed Governor of Equatoria (in Ethiopia), is causing security concerns. He “has let all army discipline go to the dogs – for unpaid and uncared-for soldiers will never be amendable to discipline.”

The first serious automobile accident in South Africa and perhaps in all of Africa occurs when a French-built 24hp Darracq car is driven through an open railway crossing gate near Cape Town but is blocked on the tracks by a locked gate on the other side. The Johannesburg Express train hits the car, miraculously injuring but not killing the driver and passenger and throwing a second passenger clear.

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As a reward for its early support for the League of Nations, South Africa is given a League Mandate to administer the former German colony South West Africa. South Africa will proceed to run the country as another South African province, designing an apartheid system of black racial suppression and white supremacy identical to the apartheid that will be installed in South Africa.

Kumasi, one of the largest towns in Gold Coast (Ghana), is electrified, as the power station becomes fully operational. Electricity has been available at night since May to some customers.

After two years of data tabulation, the results of the 1931 census for British Nigeria are published. Nigeria’s population has increased by 1,3 million people since 1921, to 21,902,000. (pic: Lagos in 1933)

Pilots C.W.A. Scott and Giles Guthrie win the England to South Africa Schlesinger Race, landing at Rand Airport outside Johannesburg after a flight of 52 hours and 56 minutes. They are the only team to finish the race of the 14 teams that began. They win £10,000 (the equivalent of £904,220 in 2023).

The fortress-like Cape Columbine Lighthouse opens in South Africa, a necessity to warn ships away from the dangerous rocky coast.

Morocco and Tunisia become the newest members of the Arab League. (pic: the June 1958 issue of the international fashion magazine Vogue features models in bathing suits with camels at a "Morocco picnic" at a time when North Africa was seen as an exotic and romantic background to Western fantasies)

Nigerian Airways (the name will be changed to Nigeria Airways) begins operations, with a borrowed BOAC (British Airways) Boeing 377 Stratocruiser. The first flight is from London to Lagos. Like the Nigerian flag, the airline’s colours are green and white, and the company logo is a flying elephant. The elephant’s name is Skypower.

Nigeria achieves national independence, from Britain. Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II will remain Head of State until the country becomes a Republic in 1961. For one month, government is headed by the British-appointed Governor General James Robertson (pic: left), until the Nigerian parliament appoints Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe (pic: right) as Governor-General.

Cameroon merges with the southern portion of British Cameroon, to form the Federal Republic of Cameroon.

Nigeria celebrates the first anniversary of its Independence with the completion of Independence House in Lagos. An independence gift from Britain, the handsome 24-story tower overlooking Tafawa Balewa Square will house federal government ministries.

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The adoption of a new Nigerian constitution ends British monarch Queen Elizabeth’s role as the former British colony's Head of State. Nigeria is now a republic, and government’s First Nigerian Republic begins under President Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe. He replaces Queen Elizabeth as ceremonial Head of State. Becoming Prime Minister is Abubakar Tafawa Balewa  (pic: with Britain’s Princess Alexandra of Kent), who heads the Northern People's Congress, the political party that won the first federal election.

The largest assembly to witness the funeral of an African leader gathers in Cairo for the funeral of Egyptian President Gamal Nasser. He suffered a heart attack hours after brokering talks that ended a bloody war in Jordan, when he brought Jordanian and Palestinian officials together at the Arab League Summit. Six million Egyptians join world leaders along the Nile River to watch Nasser’s funeral procession.

Africa’s first colour television broadcast is made by Benue-Plateau Television Corporation (later NTV-Jos) from Jos, Nigeria.

The Nigerian Second Republic begins as Shehu Shagari becomes President. For the first time in Nigerian history, a leader steps down willingly when General Olusegun Obasanjo, the head of the military government since 1976, peacefully transfers power to Shagari. Obasanjo sought a stable democracy for Nigeria during his administration. He will be elected Nigeria’s president in 1999 and serve until 2007.

Nigeria’s government announces the number of federal states will rise to 42.

The U.S. newspaper The Wall Street Journal reports, "For decades, African aviation has suffered from antiquated planes, crumbling airports, broken equipment and poorly trained pilots. Widespread neglect makes this continent's skies the most dangerous in the world." In 2005, 25% of the world’s aviation accidents occurred in Africa, which has only 5% of global air traffic. However, by the year 2020 improved aviation safety standards will give Africa an accident record better than the global average.

The U.S. military command post for Africa, AFRICOM, goes into operation, overseeing military relations with all African countries except Eritrea and Egypt, which deal with the U.S.’ Central Command.

Uganda’s tallest building, the architecturally-stylish Pearl of Africa Hotel, opens its doors to guests. The complex stands on Kampala’s tallest hill, on a site previously occupied by state television.