Given　the　unprecedented　rates　of　climate　change,　population　growth,　and　natural　resources　consumption,　global　food　security　has　emerged　as　a　critical　issue　in　the　twenty-first　century.　Over　the　past　few　decades,　the　African　continent　has　been　plagued　by　serious　food　insecurity　issues,　resulting　from　poverty　and　mismanagement　of　resources.　Recent　studies　have　suggested　that　a　comprehensive　assessment　of　food　security　in　Africa　and　an　investigation　into　the　factors　that　affect　the　food　self-sufficiency　ratio　(SSR)　are　increasingly　essential.　Estimating　variations　of　SSR　throughout　Africa　together　with　examining　its　affecting　mechanisms　is　thought　to　be　resolving　ongoing　food　crisis　and　achieving sustainable　food　security　in　Africa.　Here,　we　have　assessed　spatio-temporal　evolutions　of　SSR　in　Africa　and　its　associated　drivers　based　on　the　Granger　causality　method.　SSR　in　Africa　showed　an　overall　downward　trend　from　1961　to　2018,　mainly　aggregating　in　Northern　and　Southern　regions.　Among　44　African　countries　studied,　Eastern　African　countries　had　relatively　higher　SSRs,　while　Northern　and　Southern　regions　had　lower　SSRs.　Between　1970　and　2018,　Granger　causality　analysis　revealed　that　about　52%,　34%,　and　34%　of　African　countries　were　affected　by　GDP,　food　production,　and　import　quantity,　respectively.　Additionally,　the　influence　of　climatic　factors　(temperature　and　precipitation)　on　SSR　was　detected　in　about　27%　of　countries,　while　their　direct　impact　on　food　production　was　found　in　around　45%　of　the　regions.　Implementing　viable　solutions　such　as　improving　food　production,　facilitating　international　trades　and　cooperation,　and　promoting　sustainable　economic　development　can　largely　contribute　to　safeguarding　food　security　in　Africa　and　elsewhere　facing　similar　challenges.　©　2023,　The　Author(s),　under　exclusive　licence　to　Springer-Verlag　GmbH　Germany,　part　of　Springer　Nature.