Summary Obesity is increasing in A frica, but the underlying genetic background largely remains unknown. We assessed existing evidence on genetic determinants of obesity among populations within A frica. MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched and the bibliographies of retrieved articles were examined. Included studies had to report on the association of a genetic marker with obesity indices and the presence/occurrence of obesity/obesity trait. Data were extracted on study design and characteristics, genetic determinants and effect estimates of associations with obesity indices. According to this data, over 300 polymorphisms in 42 genes have been studied in various population groups within A frica mostly through the candidate gene approach. Polymorphisms in genes such as ACE , ADIPOQ , ADRB 2 , AGRP , AR , CAPN 10 , CD 36 , C 7orf31 , DRD 4 , FTO , MC3R , MC4R , SGIP1 and LEP were found to be associated with various measures of obesity. Of the 36 polymorphisms previously validated by genome‐wide association studies ( GWAS ) elsewhere, only FTO and MC4R polymorphisms showed significant associations with obesity in black S outh A fricans, N igerians and G hanaians. However, these data are insufficient to establish the true nature of genetic susceptibility to obesity in populations within A frica. There has been recent progress in describing the genetic architecture of obesity among populations within A frica. This effort needs to be sustained via GWAS studies.