Here are the capitals of the sixteen countries of West Africa. Most coastal countries have their capital on the coast, as ports.
| Country | Capital |
|---|---|
| Mauritania | Nouakchott |
| Senegal | Dakar |
| Gambia | Banjul |
| Guinea-Bissau | Bissau |
| Guinea | Conakry |
| Sierra Leone | Freetown |
| Liberia | Monrovia |
| Côte d'Ivoire | Yamoussoukro (see the note) |
| Mali | Bamako |
| Burkina Faso | Ouagadougou |
| Ghana | Accra |
| Togo | Lomé |
| Benin | Porto-Novo (see the note) |
| Niger | Niamey |
| Nigeria | Abuja |
| Cabo Verde | Praia |
Key idea
Some to learn first: Abuja (Nigeria), Accra (Ghana), Dakar (Senegal), Bamako (Mali) and Niamey (Niger). Two have a note: Côte d'Ivoire's official capital is Yamoussoukro, while Abidjan, the biggest city, holds most offices; Benin's official capital is Porto-Novo, and the government works in Cotonou.
Why it works
Nigeria moved its capital from Lagos, a crowded port in the far southwest, to Abuja, a planned city near the middle of the country, in 1991. A central capital is easier to reach from every part of a large country, and it did not belong to any one of the country's main regions.
Worked example: Nigeria's capital
Is Lagos the capital of Nigeria?
- Lagos is Nigeria's largest city.
- It was the capital until 1991.
- The capital is now Abuja.
Answer: No; it is Abuja.
Worked example: Neighbors with similar names
Conakry or Bissau: which is the capital of Guinea?
- Guinea's capital is Conakry.
- Bissau is the capital of Guinea-Bissau, as its name says.
Answer: Conakry.
Several West African capitals are on the Atlantic coast as ports: Dakar, at the westernmost point of mainland Africa, Banjul, Bissau, Conakry, Freetown, Monrovia, Accra and Lomé. The inland capitals, Bamako and Niamey, are on the Niger River, and Ouagadougou is in the middle of Burkina Faso.
Common mistake
People say Lagos for Nigeria; the capital moved to Abuja in 1991. For Côte d'Ivoire, the official capital is Yamoussoukro, though Abidjan is the biggest city (both are accepted when you type).