Ghana became independent from Britain in 1957 as the first sub-Saharan African colony to gain independence.
The country became independent on 6 March 1957, changing its colonial name, the Gold Coast, to Ghana. Its independence movement was led by Kwame Nkrumah, who became the country’s first prime minister and later its first president.
Ghana’s independence became a major symbol of African decolonization and inspired nationalist movements across the continent. The date remains Ghana’s Independence Day. A common wording issue is to call Ghana the first African country to become independent; several North African states achieved independence earlier, so the more precise description is the first sub-Saharan African colony to gain independence from European colonial rule in the postwar era.