Africa Postal Directory

Algérie Poste

Algeria's French colonial stamps; post-independence stamps from 1962 feature Sahara landscapes and Berber culture

Correios de Angola (ENCTA)

Portuguese West Africa stamps from 1870; post-independence stamps from 1975

Office des Postes et Télécommunications du Bénin

Dahomey colonial stamps precede Benin independence; Benin's stamps often feature traditional Dahomean kingdoms

Botswana Post

Bechuanaland Protectorate stamps precede Botswanan independence in 1966; wildlife and Kalahari themes dominate

Société Nationale des Postes du Burkina (SONAPOST)

Upper Volta colonial stamps; Burkina Faso stamps since 1984 (previously issued as Upper Volta/Haute-Volta)

Régie Nationale des Postes du Burundi (RENARPOST)

Ruanda-Urundi stamps (Belgian) precede Burundian independence in 1962

Cameroon Postal Services (CAMPOST)

Cameroon was split between French and British administration after WWI — both areas issued stamps

Correios de Cabo Verde

Cape Verde's Portuguese colonial stamps from 1877; post-independence stamps from 1975 feature island culture

Société des Postes du Tchad

French Equatorial Africa stamps precede Chadian independence in 1960

Société Congolaise des Postes et Télécommunications (SCPT)

French Congo colonial stamps; Republic of Congo stamps since 1960 independence

La Poste de Côte d'Ivoire

Ivory Coast's French colonial stamps under Côte d'Ivoire; post-independence stamps from 1960

Egypt Post

Egypt's 1866 first issue featuring the Sphinx; Suez Canal stamps are historically significant

Eritrea Post

Eritrea's first stamps in 1993 after independence from Ethiopia are among Africa's newest classic first issues

Eswatini Post & Telecommunications

Swaziland stamps under British protection; post-independence stamps feature Swazi culture and King Mswati III

Ethiopian Postal Service

Ethiopia's 1894 first issue makes it one of Africa's earliest stamp issuers; the 1930 coronation of Haile Selassie stamps are famous

Gabon Post

French Equatorial Africa stamps precede Gabonese independence in 1960; Libreville and equatorial forest themes feature

Gambia Post Authority

Gambia's 1869 first issue is one of the earliest West African stamps; bird stamps are popular

Ghana Post

Ghana's 1957 independence stamps marked the first sub-Saharan African country to gain independence

Posta Kenya

Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika (KUT) stamps are classic East African Commonwealth issues; post-independence Kenyan stamps feature wildlife

Lesotho Postal Services

Basutoland stamps (British) precede Lesotho independence in 1966; mountain kingdom themes feature prominently

Liberia Postal Services

Liberia's 1860 first issue makes it one of Africa's earliest stamp issuers; as a republic founded by freed US slaves, its stamps have unique historical significance

Libyan Post Company

Italian colonial stamps for Tripolitania and Cyrenaica (1912–1943); Libyan independence stamps from 1951

Paositra Malagasy

Madagascar's French colonial stamps; post-independence stamps feature lemurs and unique Malagasy wildlife

Malawi Posts

Nyasaland Protectorate stamps precede Malawian independence in 1964

La Poste Mali

French Sudan stamps precede Malian independence; post-independence stamps feature Timbuktu and Saharan culture

Office des Postes et Télécommunications de Mauritanie (OPTIM)

French West Africa stamps precede Mauritanian independence in 1960

Mauritius Post

The 1847 Post Office stamps of Mauritius — 'Post Office' instead of 'Post Paid' — are among the world's most valuable stamps

Barid Al-Maghrib

Morocco's French and Spanish protectorate stamps; post-independence stamps from 1956 feature Moroccan cultural heritage

Correios de Moçambique

Portuguese East Africa stamps; post-independence Mozambican stamps from 1975

Namibia Post

South West Africa (German and South African administration) stamps precede Namibian independence in 1990

Société Nigérienne des Postes

French West Africa stamps precede Nigerien independence in 1960; Tuareg culture and Saharan themes feature

Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST)

Nigeria's colonial stamps under British rule; post-independence stamps from 1960 feature wildlife and cultural heritage

Rwanda Post

Rwanda's first stamps in 1962 at independence; wildlife and genocide commemoration themes appear on modern issues

La Poste du Sénégal

Senegal's French colonial stamps; post-independence stamps from 1960 feature Dakar, baobabs, and West African culture

Sierra Leone Postal Services

Sierra Leone's 1859 British colonial stamps; the 1965 self-adhesive stamps were among the world's first self-adhesive issues

Somali Post

Italian Somaliland and British Somaliland stamps; post-independence Somali stamps from 1960

South African Post Office (SAPO)

Cape of Good Hope's triangular stamps (1853) are among the world's most famous and beautiful classic stamps

South Sudan Post

South Sudan's 2011 first issues are among the world's newest stamps from a new nation

Sudan Post

Sudan's British colonial stamps; post-independence stamps from 1956 feature Nile culture and ancient Nubian monuments

Tanzania Posts Corporation

Tanganyika and Zanzibar stamps; post-union Tanzanian stamps from 1965 feature Kilimanjaro and Serengeti wildlife

La Poste du Togo

German colonial Togo stamps; after WWI split between British and French, both territories issued stamps

Poste Tunisienne

Tunisia's French protectorate stamps from 1888; post-independence stamps from 1956 feature Carthaginian heritage

Uganda Post Limited (Posta Uganda)

Uganda's 1895 type-written stamps (the 'Uganda Cowboys') are among philately's most famous rarities

Zambia Postal Services Corporation (ZAMPOST)

Northern Rhodesia stamps precede Zambian independence in 1964; wildlife and Victoria Falls themes dominate

ZimPost

Rhodesia and Nyasaland stamps, then Rhodesia, then Zimbabwe Rhodesia, then Zimbabwe stamps document a turbulent transition to independence