(i) There were cultural differences between the French people and the people of West Africa. The French people did not put the culture of their West African counterparts into consideration before introducing the policy of Assimilation.
(ii) The policy was inflexible and highly discriminatory e.g. dual citizenship, taxation, etc.
(iii) One of the factors for its failure was the reduction in the power of the traditional chiefs.
(iv) The system was a financial burden on the people of France who therefore criticized it.
(v) The French intellectual and merchants were opposed to the policy that would create equality between the Frenchmen and Africans.
(vi) The success of indirect rule system in Nigeria motivated the need for a change of the French policy so as to make the system flexible.
(vii) The Second World War and its aftermath and effects compelled the French to abandon assimilation.
(viii) The rise to power of President Charles De Gaule and his determination to replace Assimilation with Association.
(ix) indignant policy and its implementation - (force labour, jail without trial) etc. was visited on the subjects which made assimilation unpopular and objectionable.