In 1913, the French and British ruled the majority of Africa. As time went on, Europe became more involved in the world wars and began to lose its grip on its imperial African holdings. Africans began to realize the possibility of sovereignty. Africans began to take leadership of their own countries around 1954 to 1962.

In 1913, Africa was indeed largely under the control of European powers, with the French and British being among the most dominant. This period of history is known as the era of European imperialism or colonialism, where these foreign powers established colonies across the continent and exploited the resources and people for their own benefit.

The two world wars, especially the Second World War, significantly weakened European powers economically and militarily, which eventually led to the decolonization of Africa. During and after the wars, the costs of maintaining overseas colonies were high and the European countries were struggling to rebuild their own nations.

African countries gradually started to push for independence from the late 1940s onwards. The realization of the possibility of sovereignty was influenced by several factors, including the exposure of African soldiers to ideas of freedom and equality while serving in European armies during the world wars, the rise of nationalist movements, and the pressure from international bodies like the United Nations that advocated for self-determination.

The process of African nations gaining independence accelerated between 1954 and 1962, a period often referred to as the "African Year" (1960 in particular, when many African nations gained independence). During this time, country after country saw the rise of indigenous leaders who steered their nations towards sovereignty. The independence movement included peaceful negotiations, political activism, as well as armed struggles in some cases.

By the end of the 1960s, the majority of African nations had achieved independence, with the borders of these new countries often reflecting the arbitrary lines drawn by colonial powers rather than historic or ethnic divisions.