A reported coup attempt in the Benin Republic on Sunday has added to the increasing wave of military takeovers across Africa, highlighting a trend of political instability that continues to challenge governance on the continent. Soldiers claimed to have removed President Patrice Talon from office, but his administration maintained that he remained secure and that loyal forces were working to restore stability.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

This incident reflects a broader pattern of coups in Africa over the past five years. In Mali, a group of army colonels overthrew President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita in August 2020, followed by another military intervention in May 2021 that removed transitional civilian leaders. Colonel Assimi Goita, who played a central role in both coups, later became transitional president and initially promised elections for February 2024. However, ongoing security challenges from jihadist groups led to the cancellation of the election timetable, and by July 2025, Goita endorsed legislation allowing himself a renewable five-year presidential term without elections.

Guinea experienced a coup on September 5, 2021, when Lieutenant-Colonel Mamady Doumbouya deposed President Alpha Condé. Doumbouya later ran in the December 28, 2025 elections, signaling a move toward restoring civilian governance.

Sudan’s transition after the fall of former President Omar al-Bashir was interrupted on October 25, 2021, when army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan removed civilian leaders. This escalated into a civil war in April 2023 between Burhan’s forces and the Rapid Support Forces led by former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, creating one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises.

Burkina Faso experienced two coups in 2022. In January, soldiers led by Lieutenant-Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba ousted President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré. In September, Captain Ibrahim Traoré overthrew Damiba and later secured approval in May 2024 to remain in power for five more years, despite ongoing extremist insurgencies.

In Niger, President Mohamed Bazoum was overthrown on July 26, 2023, by his presidential guard, led by General Abdourahamane Tiani. The military council later extended the transition period by five years in March 2025, citing persistent security threats.

Gabon saw the end of the Bongo dynasty on August 30, 2023, when military officers annulled President Ali Bongo Ondimba’s contested re-election. General Brice Oligui Nguema became transitional president and was elected under a new constitution in April 2025, securing 94.85 percent of the vote.

In Madagascar, widespread youth-led protests in October 2025 prompted the military to remove President Andry Rajoelina. Colonel Michael Randrianirina assumed the presidency and pledged to hold national elections within 18 to 24 months.

Finally, Guinea-Bissau’s military seized control in November 2025, halting elections and sealing borders. A new military command announced that it would govern indefinitely pending further announcements.

According to reports, the recent attempt in Benin Republic adds to a growing list of African nations where democratic governance faces significant challenges amid military interventions.