Modern sovereign practices originating from the West are built upon three core pillars: territoriality, absolute internal authority, and the equality of sovereigns. Breaking away from the Eurocentric paradigm of sovereignty, this article proposes a three-dimensional framework to understand African sovereign practices based on indigenous traditions and experiences. First, the historical logic of “wealth in people” emphasizes that authority stems from the control over populations rather than fixed territory, marking a significant departure from the principle of territoriality. Second, the hybrid authority structures in African states, characterized by the long-term coexistence of modern elected governments and traditional chieftaincy. Third, the extraverted nature of African states, where political elites actively absorbing and utilizing external resources as domestic political capital to maintain regime survival and growth, is a key feature that diverges from the principles of sovereign equality and exclusive jurisdiction.