The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 6 letter word ZEBRAS
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More clues leading to the result ZEBRAS
Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "inhabitants of Africa" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case inhabitants of africa = zebras.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does ZEBRAS mean?
ZEBRAS noun- Any of three species of genus Equus: E. grevyi, E. quagga, or E. zebra, all with black and white stripes and native to Africa.
- A referee.
- An unlikely diagnosis, especially for symptoms probably caused by a common ailment. (Originates in the advice often given to medical students: "when you hear hoofbeats, think of horses, not zebras".)
- A biracial person, specifically one born to a member of the Sub-Saharan African race and a Caucasian.
- A fish, the zebra cichlid.
- Any of various papilionid butterflies of the subgenus Paranticopsis of the genus Graphium, having black and white markings.