The colonial and postcolonial history of the nation-state in Africa is often presented as a graft of an imported model, thus justifying its fragility and institutionalization difficulties. The lack of linearity between state-building and nation-building on the one hand, and social dynamics on the other, leads to a crisis of state legitimacy and undermines the foundations of national unity. At the same time, the forms of organization of the State and the definition of its missions, modalities and means of intervention significantly affect its effectiveness and its ability to meet the tangible and intangible needs of the populations.
To regain legitimacy and effectiveness, the African nation-state can be questioned through two essential issues :