In Africa flows the longest river in the world, the Nile, which crosses from south to north over half the continent, ending its run in the Mediterranean Sea (unique in this list).The Congo, second in the ranking, despite being over two thousand kilometers shorter, has a much greater hydrographic basin and flow rate, as it flows largely in equatorial Africa.
The third longest river, the Niger, has a particularity, in fact it originates only 240 kilometers from the Atlantic, but before reaching this ocean it completes a kind of great arch, which makes it reach its mouth only after more than four thousand kilometers from its source.
There are only four watercourses longer than 2,500 kilometers, this also because several areas of Africa are desert or receive a low amount of annual rainfall; some of the rivers shown here have an irregular course and are dry at certain times of the year.
| River | Length (km) | Length (mi) | Mouth | Countries |
| Nile (1) | 6,850 km | 4,256 mi | Mediterranean Sea | Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan, Sudan, Egypt |
| Congo (2) | 4,700 km | 2,920 mi | Atlantic Ocean | Democratic Republic of the Congo, Congo, Angola |
| Niger (3) | 4,180 km | 2,597 mi | Atlantic Ocean | Guinea, Mali, Niger, Benin, Nigeria |
| Zambezi (4) | 2,700 km | 1,678 mi | Indian Ocean | Zambia, Angola, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique |
| Ubangi-Uele (5) | 2,270 km | 1,411 mi | Congo | Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic, Congo |
| Kasai | 2,150 km | 1,336 mi | Congo | Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Orange | 2,092 km | 1,300 mi | Atlantic Ocean | Lesotho, South Africa, Namibia |
| Shebelle (6) | 2,050 km | 1,274 mi | Jubba | Ethiopia, Somalia |
| Limpopo | 1,800 km | 1,118 mi | Indian Ocean | South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique |
| Kwango | 1,770 km | 1,100 mi | Kasai | Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Senegal (7) | 1,700 km | 1,056 mi | Atlantic Ocean | Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Senegal |
| Jubba | 1,650 km | 1,025 mi | Indian Ocean | Ethiopia, Somalia |
| Kafue | 1,600 km | 994 mi | Zambezi | Zambia |
| Okavango (8) | 1,600 km | 994 mi | Okavango Delta | Angola, Namibia, Botswana |
| Volta | 1,600 km | 994 mi | Atlantic Ocean | Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Ghana |
| Blue Nile | 1,450 km | 901 mi | Nile | Ethiopia, Sudan |
| Lomami | 1,280 km | 795 mi | Congo | Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Vaal | 1,210 km | 752 mi | Orange | South Africa |
| Awash | 1,200 km | 746 mi | Lake Abbe | Ethiopia |
| Draa (9) | 1,200 km | 746 mi | Atlantic Ocean | Morocco, Algeria |
| Ogooué | 1,200 km | 746 mi | Atlantic Ocean | Congo, Gabon |
| Sankuru | 1,200 km | 746 mi | Kasai | Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Gambia | 1,130 km | 702 mi | Atlantic Ocean | Guinea, Senegal, Gambia |
| Bani | 1,100 km | 684 mi | Niger | Ivory Coast, Mali |
| Benue | 1,085 km | 674 mi | Niger | Cameroon, Nigeria |
| Molopo (10) | 1,000 km | 621 mi | Orange | South Africa, Botswana |
(1) The longest river on the planet, it has two main branches, the Blue Nile and the White Nile, which has its most remote tributaries in Burundi.
(2) Second river in the world for basin width, just over 4 million square kilometers.
(3) Its source is only 240 kilometers from the Atlantic.
(4) It is the river that forms the famous and majestic Victoria Falls, on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe.
(5) It takes the name of Ubangi from the confluence between Mbomou and Uele.
(6) In the terminal part of its course it is almost always completely dry.
(7) Senegal proper arises from the confluence of Bafing and Bakoye.
(8) River that does not flow into the sea, but disperses all its waters in a vast swampy area of Botswana.
(9) The central and final sections are almost always totally dry.
(10) Partly dry for several months a year.