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This study examines Pan-African Idealism and Economic Self-Reliance through a postmortem analysis of Adebayo Adedeji’s strategic framework. Adebayo Adedeji, a pioneering African economist and former Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), championed a vision of African development rooted in self-reliance, regional integration, and indigenous policy-making. The study adopted a qualitative analytical methodology and utilizes the historical method of data collection, which relies mainly on secondary sources of data. The study observed that His legacy is situated within the broader context of post-independence challenges, including economic dependency, fragmented governance, and externally imposed development models. Findings from the study indicate that Pan-Africanism, as both a political and economic philosophy, gained momentum in the 20th century, advocating unity, solidarity, and autonomy among African nations. Adedeji’s framework embodied these ideals, emphasizing intra-African trade, institutional reform, and reduced reliance on foreign aid. This postmortem analysis reveals the tensions between visionary idealism and pragmatic implementation, highlighting the structural and political constraints that limited its full realization. The study concludes that despite these setbacks, Adedeji’s principles remain strikingly relevant in contemporary discourse, especially amid renewed calls for decolonized development and regional resilience. The study further concludes that while Adedeji’s framework was not fully actualized, its foundational ideals continue to inspire policy innovation and offer a compelling blueprint for Africa’s future economic sovereignty.

Intra-African Trade, Economic Dependence, Regional Integration, Pan-Africanism,