National governments and intergovernmental organizations provide a wealth of knowledge about a nation's history, political structure, and socio-economic situation. Most nations today have a government website or portal, but not all offer English translations so expect to find materials in multiple languages.
The United States government offers numerous ways of researching other nations. There are several departments of government and councils and commissions that work with foreign nations and would be valuable. The library also subscribes to several databases that index government reports of value.
The nations are also members of numerous intergovernmental organizations that will provide a different perspective of the activities of that area of the world and its interactions with the rest of the globe.
The World Bank will provide numerous resources for insight into economic and social development in Africa.