The article examines two forms of African ethnic philosophy - Bantu and Ubuntu - that have been evolving in the postcolonial period of the continent. It highlights the core principles and the categorical framework of ethnophilosophy, rooted in the indigenous values and traditions of African peoples. The analysis focuses on Bantu philosophy, widespread in Southern Africa and theoretically founded in Placide Tempels’ seminal work Bantu Philosophy. The study emphasizes the ontological and anthropocentric nature of Bantu thought, which is based on the belief in a special life force permeating the peoples belonging to this broad ethnic group. It explores the worldview of African ethnic communities shaped by Bantu philosophy and discusses the pursuit of identity through this philosophical lens. The article also identifies the metaphysical principles of Ubuntu ethnophilosophy, where ubuntu means “humanity” in Zulu. Ubuntu, as both a worldview and a mode of theorizing among sub-Saharan peoples, encapsulates two fundamental dimensions: rootedness in cosmic being and the unfolding of human existence within the universe. The study traces certain paradigmatic features of Ubuntu as a philosophy that transcends specific ethnic communities. It introduces the African conceptualization of umuntu, which, in a universal philosophical sense, denotes the notion of a human being. The article underscores the significance of both Bantu and Ubuntu philosophies for the social, cultural, educational, and political development of the African continent