This paper describes the health financing policies used today by African countries to expand health coverage. It identifies key health financing policies used by African countries and measures the existence of regional patterns in the use of these policies. The paper does not attempt to identify best practices, nor does it try to measure the effective coverage of the policies or their impact. Rather, it aims to add value to the existing literature by providing a systematic portrayal of the health financing policies that are in place across the region. The study concludes with a discussion about the implications of its findings for planning next steps to advance universal health. The rest of the paper is organized as follows. Section 2 describes the conceptual framework and methodology used in the study. Section 3 describes the different paths chosen by African countries to expand health coverage. Sections 4 and 5 describe the two key instruments used in that journey: the universal basic package of health services and the subpopulation health coverage programs. Section 6 reviews in detail some of the technical instruments required for the successful implementation of these policies. Section 7 uses the findings of the paper to discuss the cost estimations of implementing a broader benefit package to advance universal health coverage. The paper concludes with a summary of the findings and their implications.