The former London mayor made the embarrassing gaffe during a speech on the first day of the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham, in which he was discussing the increase in life expectancy in the continent.
Mr Johnson said: "For all its difficulties, life expectancy in Africa has risen astonishingly as that country has entered the global economic system
“In 2000, the average Ethiopian lived to only 47 – it is now 64 and climbing; in Zambia the increase has been from 44 years to 60 years.”
Johnson went on to credit Britain for the continent's improving conditions.
He said: “In 1990, 37 per cent of the world’s population lived in poverty – that is now down to only 9.6 per cent today.
"I think we, with our commitment to 0.7 per cent of our GDP going on development aid, can take the large share of the credit for that achievement."
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