Coup d’état in Africa recent military takeovers explained

The Bénin has become the latest African nation to face a military takeover attempt, joining a troubling trend that has swept across the continent since 2020. This brief but intense power grab unfolded over several hours on Sunday before authorities confirmed it had been thwarted.

In a scenario that has regrettably become all too common in West Africa, a faction of soldiers appeared on national television, declaring the ousting of President Patrice Talon and the dissolution of the government following a swift and dramatic seizure of power.

Within hours, Bénin‘s Interior Minister, Alassane Seidou, released a video statement exposing the mutiny as an orchestrated effort to destabilize the state. The soldiers involved, he emphasized, had acted against the core values of the nation. Seidou reassured the public that the Bénin army remains “firmly committed to the Republic and its democratic institutions”.

This incident underscores a growing wave of instability across Africa, driven by contested elections, constitutional manipulations, escalating security crises, and widespread youth discontent. Below is a comprehensive timeline of recent military coups and attempted takeovers on the continent.

Mali’s tumultuous transitions: August 2020 and May 2021

Mali has experienced two successful coups in recent years. In August 2020, soldiers mutinied near Bamako, detaining high-ranking officers and forcing the resignation of President Ibrahim Keïta, who faced accusations of corruption and failing to curb armed group offensives.

Colonel Assimi Goïta, a key figure in the junta, brokered a power-sharing agreement with civilian leader Bah Ndaw, assuming the role of vice president. However, in May 2021, Goïta orchestrated another coup, removing Ndaw amid disagreements and declaring himself president. He later postponed elections from 2022 to 2027.

Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger—three landlocked nations in West Africa—have formed a military alliance after leaving the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), rejecting international pressure to restore democratic governance.

Chad’s dynastic power shift: April 2021

Following the death of his father in 2021, General Mahamat Idriss Déby assumed control, continuing his family’s decades-long rule. Three years later, he organized an election he had pledged to hold, declaring himself the winner—a result widely disputed by opposition groups and civil society.

Since then, Déby has intensified crackdowns on dissent. Opposition leader Succès Masra, formerly a prominent figure in the opposition, was sentenced to 20 years in prison earlier this year, further silencing political opposition.

Guinea’s constitutional crisis: September 2021

After 11 years in office, President Alpha Condé was overthrown by a military junta led by Mamady Doumbouya. Condé had controversially amended the constitution in 2020 to allow himself a third term in office.

Doumbouya, now running for president in December’s elections, has sought to transition from military leadership. A national referendum extended the presidential mandate from five to seven years and permitted junta members to run for office—a move critics argue consolidates military control.

Sudan’s fragile power-sharing collapses: October 2021

In October 2021, Sudanese army chief General Abdel-Fattah Burhan staged a coup, removing President Omar al-Bashir, who had ruled for 26 years. Burhan initially shared power with Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (also known as Hemetti), leader of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

By April 2023, tensions between Burhan and Hemetti erupted into full-scale war—one of the world’s most devastating conflicts, according to the United Nations. The fighting continues unabated, with catastrophic humanitarian consequences.

Burkina Faso’s double coup: January and September 2022

Burkina Faso has also been hit by two coups in quick succession. In January 2022, President Roch Kaboré was ousted by Lieutenant-Colonel Paul-Henri Damiba. By September, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, a field artillery commander, removed Damiba citing worsening security conditions and governance failures.

Traoré has since led the country, dissolving the independent electoral commission in July 2025 to consolidate control over the political process.

Niger’s democratic reversal: July 2023

General Abdourahamane Tchiani seized power in Niger, toppling democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum—a rare example of a peaceful democratic transition in the region. The coup triggered a major crisis within ECOWAS, which threatened military intervention to restore Bazoum, though such action was ultimately not taken.

The coup also deepened regional divisions. Niger, along with Burkina Faso and Mali, formed the Alliance of Sahel States, a bloc opposed to ECOWAS and its democratic mandates.

Gabon’s stolen election: August 2023

Just days after President Ali Bongo—in power for 14 years and running for a third term—was declared the winner of a disputed 2023 election, a group of soldiers announced a takeover on national television. They annulled the election and dissolved all state institutions.

Brice Oligui Nguema, a cousin of the former president, assumed leadership and has since governed Gabon. He won the presidential election held in April 2025 under the new junta-led political framework.

Madagascar’s youth-driven unrest: October 2025

Frustration over chronic water shortages and relentless power outages sparked mass protests in Madagascar, with young citizens demanding the resignation of President Andry Rajoelina.

Rather than stepping down, Rajoelina dissolved his government and resisted calls for his exit—actions that eventually led to a military intervention in the Indian Ocean nation.

Guinea-Bissau’s post-election turmoil: November 2025

On November 26, soldiers in Guinea-Bissau staged a coup following a highly contested presidential election three days earlier. Critics, including opposition figures, alleged the takeover was staged to prevent the incumbent president from losing power.

Incumbent President Umaro Sissoco Embaló and opposition leader Fernando Dias both claimed victory in the November 23 vote. After being briefly detained, Embaló fled to neighboring Sénégal. The new military leadership has since appointed several allies of the deposed president to key positions.

Bénin’s thwarted mutiny: December 2025

Less than two weeks after the coup in Guinea-Bissau, soldiers in Bénin launched a similar power grab following gunfire near the presidential palace. A group calling itself the Military Committee for Rebuilding declared President Patrice Talon deposed and dissolved state institutions.

The committee appointed Lieutenant-Colonel Pascal Tigri as its leader. However, within hours, government officials confirmed the coup had failed, and the national army reaffirmed its allegiance to the Republic and constitutional order.