Which African capital became a national capital when its country became independent in 2011? Juba did. It became the national capital of South Sudan on 9 July 2011, when the country declared independence from Sudan.
Juba stands on the White Nile in Central Equatoria and had already become the seat of the autonomous Government of Southern Sudan after the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement. That agreement ended the Second Sudanese Civil War and created an interim period of self-government before independence.
The city was established in the early twentieth century near a Bari village and later grew as an administrative, military and commercial center. Its location on the White Nile helped connect southern Sudan to river transport and regional trade.
A frequently overlooked detail is that South Sudan has discussed moving its capital to a planned city at Ramciel. Although that proposal was announced in 2011, Juba remains the national capital. Gitega, Asmara and Dodoma became capitals under different historical circumstances.