There is no purely 'African' cuisine, since there are heavy Arab, European and Asian influences. However, you will find similarities in ingredients used from region to region.
North Africa
A staple of Northern Cuisine is Couscous. Other common ingredients of North African cuisine include olives, olive oil, potatoes, ginger, saffron, nutmeg, cloves, tomatoes, and chili peppers.
East Africa
In east Africa, you will find ugali, a corn based paste, which usually accompanies stews and soups; matoke, steamed, green bananas, a base for many Ugandan meals. Injera, a staple of Ethiopa, is a kind of flat bread, made from a tiny round grain called teff ; and is often eaten with wat, a spicy stew of meat and or vegetables. A piece of injera is torn off and wrapped around the wat and eaten with the hand. Spicy steamed rice, lentil dishes, curries, roasted, marinated meats, tomatoes, limes, lemon, pickles are all evidence of Asian and European influences.
A meal in Ethiopia is often followed by rich, Ethiopian coffee or sweetened tea.
Central Africa
Groundnuts, chili peppers and cassava are staples of the central region. A starchy paste made from cassava root accompanies main dishes of sauces and grilled meats. Meat frequently, consists of the exotic such as crocodile, monkey, or warthog (bushmeat), in addition to the familiar, chicken. A typical meal would consist of groundnut stew with with chili and spices, okro, with sides of stewed spinach and cassava greens.
West Africa
Starchy and oily characterizes a typical meal in West Africa. Fufu, a solid mass made from cassava root or yam accompanies soups and stews. West African food is liberally splashed with hot spices; guinea pepper being the native hot seasoning. Tomato- and groundnut-based soups and stews (using palm oil) consist of seafood or meat (goat, beef, chicken are dominant). Side dishes of okro, leafy greens such as water or bitter leaves, with ground melon seeds are common.
In Nigeria, no party or celebration is complete without the perennial favorites: jolloff rice with meat stew and fried plantain.
Palm wine, made from the fermented sap of various palm trees, is the favorite beverage in this region.
South Africa
With its many influences, South African cuisine bursts with a variety of texture and taste. Meats include ostrich and antelope, along with the ever popular, and readily available, seafood. Fruits, such as papaya, mango, and grapes, usually follow the main meal.