So basically, this is my idea for how to get an African superpower going. It's jumbled together from all kinds of cliches from the board going on right now, completely unoriginal, but I don't think anyonehas thought to put them together like this. the POD is just before the 20th century, but IO think it's close enoguh to count. Here it goes:
Fashoda incident leads to war. Germany goes to the British camp, whilst Russia sides with the French. Quick and easy Anglo-German victory.
After the war, the victors pretty much repartition Africa. France loses everything south of the Sahara, Belgium loses the Congo to Germany. Portugal's colonies are purchased, with Germany getting Angola and Britain getting Mozambique. Britain and Germany do a colony swap, with Britain getting Namibia and Tanzania, and Germany getting Ivory Coast.
So in short, Germans get Mittelafrika and Britain gets Capetown-to-Cairo. Everyone's happy.
Since the war is far less disastrous, British immigration to its colonies increases, with South Africa, Rhodesia, and greatly-expanded East Africa becoming popular choices. While liberal British rule allows more equal opportunites for native Africans, in reality white colonists control much of the economy, land, and politics of British Africa. Mozambique,Botswana, Namibia are incorporated into South Africa, while Southern Rhodesia votes to join the Union, due to a stronger Anglo-African influence on politics in Cape Town. Northern Rhodesia eventually falls into the fold. East Africa forms the East African Federation after being deemed capable of self-rule. Meanwhile, Germany makes Angola their primary settler colony, with an Apartheid-like colonial government established.
In the late fifties/early sixties, the peace in Europe is finally broken when fascist France and Russia finally start a war for revenge. The German government feels confident because of their nukes that they invented in the forties, however, enemy infiltrators managed to steal the technology for the French/Russians. After only two-years of warfare, Europe is nuclear wasteland, with much of the Northern Hemishere experiencing crop failures and dropping temperatures. The only suitable place for refugees to go to is Africa. Millions upon millions of Europeans flee, with Germans going to Angola, French to Algeria, Italians to Libya, and British to South and East Africa. Since British Africa has been by then brougth more-or-less within modern levels of developement and the standard of living has been increasing for all, meaning a drop in birth rates, racial tensions are luckily avoided. However, German Mittelafrika has fallen into chaos and ethnic violence, German colonists chief among the targets. The East African Federation and Union of south Africa hold a referendum on officially merging into the Federation of Africa. German colonists in Angola ask for annexation in order to save themselves, which is granted. Egypt and Sudan, however, officially break off all ties from the Commonwealth.
Thus the world's newest superpower is born.
What do you think?