The following alphabetical list gives the date at which each African Country joined the Commonwealth of Nations as an independent state. (See also, an alphabetical list of all African countries with capitals.)

The majority of African countries joined as Commonwealth Realms, later converting to Commonwealth Republics. Two countries, Lesotho and Swaziland, joined as Kingdoms. British Somaliland (which joined with Italian Somaliland five days after gaining independence in 1960 to form Somalia), and Anglo-British Sudan (which became a republic in 1956) did not become members of the Commonwealth of Nations.

Egypt, which had been part of the Empire until 1922, has never shown an interest in becoming a member.