This article aims to examine institutional and intergovernmental influences on the management of African regionalism through an exploration of regionalism grand theory. Grand theory has particular significance for international administration of regional projects as they provide a framework on which the administration of regional and international institutions can be assessed. This is particularly in terms of institution building, the administration of the regional project and the study of influences of technocrats (e.g. regional secretariats) and the political elite (internal and external political pressures) on the trajectory of regional integration. In particular, the paper aims to find out what (if any) these theories reveal about African regionalism, and whether they can provide a basis for theory building in African regionalism studies. This article adds to the growing debate on the future and projection of African regionalism.