During the first phase of Pan Africanism- 1900-1945, the movement had insignificant impact on Africa due to the following reasons:

First, it was looked at as a movement for the intellectuals. This was because its leaders were elites who were a bit distanced from their uneducated brothers and sisters. This educational gap prevented meaningful unity.

Second, the movement was greatly sabotaged by colonial masters who were still interested in the exploitation of African resources. Any early attempts made by African nationalists to identify themselves with Pan Africanists in the Diaspora were ruthlessly suppressed, e.g. the 4th Pan African congress had been scheduled to take place in Tunisia in 1927 but due to sabotage from Britain and France, it was held in New York. Colonial masters feared Pan African ideas.

Third, Africans at that time were politically backward and unaware of their rights. They thought that they had been created to serve the whites. This lack of awareness made Pan Africanism have little impact before 1945.

Fourth, all earlier Pan African congresses were held in Europe and America. Poor Africans didn't attend them and it was this lack of exposure that made Pan Africanism have limited impact before 1945.

Fifth, the then independent states of Africa such as Liberia, Ethiopia and Egypt did not take the initiative to champion the spread of liberation and Pan African ideas all over the continent. Each of these countries still had internal problems to handle.

Sixth, the French Assimilation policy had turned Africans in French colonies into "black French men." They had been indoctrinated to believe in the white man's culture and civilization. They hated African culture and any Pan African ideas therefore felt on deaf ears-hence the limited impact.

French West Africa especially Senegal and Ivory Coast paid more attention to promotion of french interests in Africa through leaders like Houpheit Boigny

Seventh, Belgian Patternalism also led to the limited impact of Pan Africanism before 1945. The Belgians had made Africans in Congo to think that whites were their fathers and protectors, never to be opposed.

Eighth, there was lack of a propaganda base in Africa where Pan Africanists would meet and discuss nationalistic ideas. This made the Pan African ideas to remain in the minds of a few blacks in the Diaspora- hence the limited impact on Africa.

President Boigny of Ivory coast

In addition to the above, Transport and communication also proved to be a great hindrance. It wasn't easy to move within and outside Africa. The slow movement of African nationalists automatically meant the slow movement of Pan African ideas.

Language also became another barrier. Franca phone colonies understood and spoke French while Anglophone colonies spoke English. Translators were very few, if any, during those days. Even the few were inaccurate. This explains the delayed spread of nationalistic ideas before 1945.

There were problems related to lack of transport and language barrier

Censorship of the press in almost all African colonies led to the limited circulation of Pan African Ideas before 1945.

Ideological differences whereby some leaders like WEB Dubois wanted to achieve independence through co-operating with whites while others like Marcus Garvey called for positive or militant action. Dubois wanted blacks to stay in Diaspora while Garvey wanted them to return to Africa and develop it.

Most Africans thought that Pan Africanism was a concept and movement only for blacks in America, Europe and the Caribbean. This was because it had originated from amongst blacks that had lost their language, culture and were unwilling to return to Africa.