Which states were generally stable? Which states were still developing/in shambles? Are there any exceptional cases to look at? Basically am wondering who was well off and who wasn't and why if that's not too huge of a question to pose!
The 1980s and early 1990s was a quite turbulent and difficult time for many states in Sub-Saharan Africa. From a continental perspective, this was the bleakest period of the post-colonial era. To be sure there were areas of relative peace, prosperity and economic growth. However, many of the states had to contend with multiple challenges including:
Some states that were in bad shape in 1995
Nigeria- In 1995 Nigeria was governed by a military junta that took power in 1983. While head of this junta from 1985-1993, Ibrahim Badamsi Babangida is widely believed to have stolen Billions of dollars from state coffers (IBB continues to deny these rumors). Similarly, Sani Abacha who ruled from 1995-98 is also believed to have stolen billions more in corrupt dealings.
Aside from corruption, this period of military rule was characterized by frequent instances of human rights abuses perpetrated by the army and police. The most famous instance would be the military trial and execution of the Ogoni rights activist Ken Saro-Wiwa in 1995. International outrage over the execution led to Nigeria's suspension from the Commonwealth of Nations and gave Nigeria the reputation as a pariah state.
Zaire- Mobutu Sese Seko took power in 1965 in a coup, and in 1995 he was in his 30th year as the dictator of this Central African nation. Similar to Babangida and Abacha, his rule was characterized by corruption and the raiding of the national economy for personal enrichment. With the end of the Cold War, Zaire lost much of its strategic significance to the West as an anticommunist bulwark in Central Africa. The cutting back of Western patronage combined with the decades of corruption to undermine the Zairian economy.
Sensing the shift in diplomatic priorities at the end of the cold war, Mobutu promised multi-party elections for the first time in 1990, as well as the creation of a transitional government. However, what ensued was the creation of two governments, one loyal to him and an opposition government led by Etienne Tchisikedi which was effectively powerless. In 1993 army troops rioted in the streets of Kinshasa because of lack of pay.
It would be fair to say that in 1995, it was increasingly clear that Mobutu's grip on power was weakening.
Ethiopia- In 1974 the Marxist Derg regime came to power in the Ethiopian Revolution and executed Emperor Haile Selassie. Throughout the 1980s, the Derg fought a counterinsurgency campaign against a multitude of internal foes, including forces like the ELF and EPLF which fought for Eritrean secession from the Ethiopian state, as well as armies and political parties that fought for the rights of the various nationalities within Ethiopia.
Compounding these difficulties was the severe famine from 1983-85. This famine was partially caused by unusual drought, but government counterinsurgency policies of "villagization" and neglect in mobilizing resources to combat famine did much to increase the famine's toll.
By 1991, the various rebel armies were able to fight the Derg regime to exhaustion and accomplish the separate goals of Eritrean statehood as well as the establishment of a new regime in Ethiopia. However, this victory came after 12 exhausting years of war and coincident famine.
Somalia In 1977, the Marxist dictatorship of General Siad Barre declared war on the Derg government of Ethiopia for control of the Ogaden region of eastern Ethiopia. This war had its roots in Somali ideas of a "Greater Somalia" which would include the Somali speaking peoples of the Ogaden region.
However, with Soviet support, the Derg regime was able to defeat the Somali invasion. What followed was an abortive coup attempt in 1978, and a general loss of prestige of the Barre government after the humiliating defeat. Because the Soviet Union had supported the Ethiopian Derg against a fellow socialist state in Somalia, Barre chose the unorthodox path of aligning Somalia with the United States.
Throughout the 1980s the Derg would support anti-Barre rebel movements. (Similarly, Somalia was involved in supporting anti-Derg rebel movements within Ethiopia). At the same time, the Barre regime tried to maintain a hold on power by acting more authoritarian and cracking down on dissent. But, with the ending of the Cold War, the strategic value of countering Soviet influence in Africa evaporated, and soon after American support for the Barre regime was discontinued.
By 1991, the multitude of rebel groups was successful in bringing down the Somali Democratic Republic, but what followed was a chaotic civil war which has not yet been fully resolved.
Some states that were somewhat better off
Kenya- After independence in 1963, Kenya was governed as a one-party state until 1992. Under the charismatic first President Jomo Kenyatta, land which had been claimed by white settlers in the colonial era was redistributed to black farmers. Economically and diplomatically Kenyatta pursued a capitalist, moderately pro-western course for Kenya. However, the Kenyatta era is also known for the suspected murder of political opponents, as well as greater levels of corruption and cronyism from his inner circle as Kenyatta became frailer.
After Kenyatta's death in 1978, Daniel Arap Moi took power as the second president. Moi followed his predecessor's model of holding snap elections to confirm his role as president, elections where he was the only candidate allowed to stand for office. However, this tactic generated substantial political backlash and call for open, multi-party elections.
In 1992, Moi was no longer able to contain the calls for multi-party elections, and the first democratic elections in Kenyan history were held. However, this election was characterized by appeals to vote based on ethnic loyalty, as well as ballot stuffing and violence and intimidation against ethnic groups perceived to support opposing candidates. In the end, Moi won re-election in an election that was internationally considered to be substantially tainted by voter manipulation.
So, by 1995 Kenya had a growing economy and reasonable security. However, domestic harmony was strained by politics that inflamed ethnic factionalism, as well as corruption within the perpetually-incumbent ruling party.
Cote d'Ivoire The first 20 years of the post-colonial era in Cote d'Ivoire is known for the "Ivorian miracle". Under President Felix Houphouet-Boigny, the country maintained close diplomatic relations with France. With substantial investment from French firms, and French technical assitance, the Ivorian economy grew throughout the 1960s and 1970s. Still, much of the Ivorian economy was dependent on the export of timber, pineapples, cocoa and other agricultural commodities.
However, like Kenya, Cote D'ivoire remained essentially a one-party state under the lifetime rule of Houphouet-Boigny. Additionally, there was the widespread perception of corruption of H-B and his inner circle.
In the late 1980s, falling prices for agricultural commodities as well as drought led to a faltering Ivorian economy. In this period of economic doldrums, discontent over government corruption led to protest from student groups and civil servants in 1990. By this time, Houphouet-Boigny had ruled for 30 years, and was becoming feeble. He died in 1993, declaring Henri Bedie his successor, but with elections to be held in 1995.
When the 1995 elections were held, a revision was inserted into the constitution which had the result of disqualifying leading opposition candidate Allesane Ouattara. Other opposition political parties chose to boycott an election that was perceived as unfair. Thus Bedie handily won the election with only token opposition.
I hope these few examples help to give a sense of the situation in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Of course, this list is only of 6 states out of the 48 states in Sub-Saharan Africa.
If you want to read more about this time period, I recommend The State of Africa by Martin Meredith. It is a work that attempts to present a history of the first 50 years of independence for African states.
Additionally, you could watch the Al Jazeera documentary series States of Independence, which accomplished the feat of interviewing several African political leaders who were in power in this post-Cold War era.