Officials relayed to the publication that the staffing issues are have adverse effects on the morale of the diplomatic hubs.
"The persistent and acute understaffing of career foreign service positions at US missions in Africa is a significant concern," Sen. Jim Risch, the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told the news publication on Friday.
Senior US State Department officials say they are working to fill the gaps, with the personnel shortages affecting the Sahel region the most, according to Foreign Policy.
"While the global need and demands on the department are immense, the dire staffing and human resource situation reflects Africa as an afterthought rather than a priority of global significance," Risch told the publication.
US lawmakers say the shortages of personnel could undermine US efforts to compete with Russia and China in the region, Foreign Policy said.