The name of the late President Gamal Abdel Nasser was not just a title in the history of Arab politics, but became a symbol that transcended borders, especially in the African continent, with which he was intellectually and politically linked during the era of national liberation movements in the fifties and sixties of the last century. Today, this legacy is still strongly present in the names of streets, universities and institutions that bear his name in a number of African countries.

Streets in Africa named after Abdel Nasser

Naming streets after Abdel Nasser is one of the most prominent forms of recognition he received in several African countries.

Libya

Jamal Abdel Nasser Street in Benghazi is one of the most important and vibrant main streets, representing an administrative and commercial hub that includes major governmental and banking institutions, and reflects the name's place in memory.

There are also other streets with the same name or similar names in several African and Arab countries, as a result of the widespread influence of Nasser’s policies supporting liberation movements, especially in South Africa and the Horn of Africa during the struggle against colonialism and the apartheid regime.

A street in the heart of the Tunisian capital

In the heart of the Tunisian capital, Jamal Abdel Nasser Street stands out as one of the most vital streets in the modern city. The street extends to Independence Square and Habib Bourguiba Street on one side, while on the other side it branches off towards Algeria Avenue, giving it a strategic location within the urban fabric of the capital.

Mauritania

There is a street in Mauritania named after the late leader Gamal Abdel Nasser in the capital Nouakchott. Despite an attempt to change its name in 2019 to “National Unity Street”, it was officially restored to its original name (Gamal Abdel Nasser) in 2020 in commemoration of his memory.

Kenya

Nasser Road in Mombasa was renamed “Salem Road” after Kenya’s independence in recognition of Nasser’s role in supporting liberation movements.

Guinea

 Jamal Abdel Nasser Street In the capital, Conakry, the country’s largest university also bears his name: Gamal Abdel Nasser University.

financial

The “Egypt” district in the capital Bamako includes streets and landmarks associated with the name of the late leader in commemoration of his memory.

Ethiopia

There are streets and squares bearing his name in the capital Addis Ababa, which was the headquarters for the founding of the Organization of African Unity, which Nasser helped to establish.

Nasser in universities and educational institutions

The honoring was not limited to the streets only, but extended to the academic field, where there are educational institutions bearing his name in more than one African country, especially in countries that were historically linked to the Nasserist experience or were influenced by its nationalist discourse supporting African unity.

Some universities and educational centers associated with African or Arabic studies on the continent are among the most prominent fields in which the name of Abdel Nasser appears, either directly or through classrooms and research centers that bear his name in honor of his role in supporting independence and building the African national identity.

A major university bearing the name of Abdel Nasser in the heart of Conakry

In Guinea’s capital, Conakry, Gamal Abdel Nasser University stands as one of the country’s most prominent educational institutions and the largest in terms of academic influence. The roots of this institution go back to 1963, when it was founded as the Institute of Applied Arts in Conakry, becoming the first institution of higher education in Guinea.

The institute was established at that time with technical support from the former Soviet Union, as part of efforts to develop higher education in the post-independence period, and it continued to bear this name until 1984, when it was decided to change its name to Gamal Abdel Nasser University.

Why does Nasser have such a presence in Africa?

This spread is linked to several historical factors, most notably Nasser’s support for liberation movements in Algeria, South Africa and other countries that were fighting against colonialism.

He also played a role in the later founding of the Organization of African Unity, in addition to his anti-Western hegemony stances, which made him a political symbol in the eyes of many African leaders.