Ghana gained independence from Britain in 1957 as the first sub-Saharan African colony to achieve sovereignty.
At independence, Ghana was formed from several former British territories: the Gold Coast Colony, Ashanti, the Northern Territories and British Togoland. The new country adopted the name Ghana, recalling the medieval West African Ghana Empire, even though that empire was located farther west than modern Ghana.
The independence movement was led by Kwame Nkrumah and his Convention People's Party. Its campaign used the slogan “Self-Government Now!” and built on growing political mobilisation, strikes and public pressure. The United Kingdom passed the Ghana Independence Act in 1957, and independence took effect at midnight on 6 March.
Ghana became a powerful symbol for African decolonisation and Pan-Africanism. Nigeria, Kenya and Uganda also became independent from Britain, but later: Nigeria in 1960, Uganda in 1962 and Kenya in 1963. Ghana became a republic in 1960, when Nkrumah became its first president.