  The comparative review of 2 representative segments of Africa continental
margin: the equatorial western Africa and the SW Africa margins, helps in
analysing the main controlling factors on their development. Early Cretaceous
active rifting S of the Walvis Ridge resulted in the formation of the SW Africa
volcanic margin. The non-volcanic rifting N of the Walvis ridge, led to the
formation of the equatorial western Africa margin, with thick and extensive,
synrift basins. Regressive erosion of SW Africa prominent shoulder uplift
accounts for high clastic sedimentation rate in Late Cretaceous - Eocene, while
dominant carbonate production on equatorial western Africa shelf suggests
little erosion of a low hinterland. The early Oligocene climate change had
contrasted response in both margins. Emplacement of the Congo deep-sea fan
reflects increased erosion in equatorial Africa, under the influence of wet
climate, whereas establishment of an arid climate over SW Africa induced a
drastic decrease of denudation, and thus reduced sedimentation on the margin.
Neogene emplacement of the African superswell beneath S. Africa renewed onshore
uplift on both margins, but it accelerated erosion only in the Congo catchment,
due to wetter climate. Neogene high sedimentation rate reactivated
gravitational tectonics that had remained quiescent since late Cretaceous.
