Regional integration has played a central role in Africa’s development strategies since the late 1950s, evolving through multiple phases to address fragmented colonial-era economies and adapt to changing global dynamics. Initial efforts were driven by pan-African political ideals, followed by more pragmatic, market-oriented regional cooperation in the form of economic blocs like ECOWAS, SADC, and EAC. The Lagos Plan of Action (1980) marked a shift toward self-reliant development, although its inward-looking vision clashed with externally imposed structural adjustment programs. The 1991 Abuja Treaty redefined continental integration with a structured, six-stage roadmap aimed at establishing the African Economic Community (AEC) by 2028. Despite progress, especially by RECs like ECOWAS and EAC, integration has been uneven and slow. The adoption of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in 2018 represents a pivotal development, aiming to boost intra-African trade, harmonize regulations, and create a single market of 1.4 billion people with a combined GDP of $3 trillion. AfCFTA departs from the Abuja roadmap but complements it, signaling a transformative step toward a more unified, prosperous, and globally competitive Africa.