GEOPOLITICS

A sobering number of coups in Africa

What is a coup?

A coup d’etat can be defined as an illegal and overt attempt by the military – or by civilian officials – to unseat sitting leaders or disrupt a peaceful transition of power.

According to a recent study (see below), over 200 such attempts in Africa since the 1950s. About half of these have been successful.

13 successful coups took place in Africa in the first two decades of this century alone.

Senegal continues to stand as an exception. This West African nation has never experienced a coup since gaining independence in 1960.

Recent coups in Africa.

    Africa’s Coup Belt

    After a sharp uptick in African coups in 2022 and 2023 (mostly in the Sahel), it has been relatively quiet in Africa – until 26 November 2025 when Guinea-Bissau President was arrested.

    The changing world order is likely to lead to more instability in the region.

    2026: Countercoup attempt Mali (April)

    Two unlikely former opponents unite to unseat the leadership, the separatist Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) and the al-Qaeda-linked JNIM group, possibly with Ukraine training. Plot was foiled, but only after heavy fighting.

    Talk of Africa Corps – the successor to the former Wagner mercenary group – abandoning Mali. An exit is supposedly negotiated with Algeria as a mediator.

    2025: 1 coup – Guinea-Bissau (November)

    Guinea-Bissau President was toppled by his own military aide. He is himself a former military officer who initially came to power in a contested election following a de facto military takeover.

    2023: 2 coups – Niger (July) and Gabon (August).

    • The new president in Gabon is said to be related to the disposed president.
    • ECOWAS was close to a military intervention to restore the elected president in Niger.

    2022: 5 coups

    Burkina Faso, Guinea Bissau, The Gambia and the island nation of Sao Tome and Principe.

    • 2 successful coups in Burkina Faso.
    • 3 failed coup attempts in Guinea Bissau, The Gambia and the island nation of Sao Tome and Principe.

    2021: 6 coups

    Chad, Mali, Guinea, Sudan and Niger.

    • The coup in Chad was a so-called ‘dynastic coup’, in which the army installed the deceased president’s son as interim president, leading a transitional military council.
    • Sudan has experienced 3 revolutions and 14 coups since the 1950s.

    2020: 1 coup – Mali

    More research on the history of coups in Africa can be found in the this article on the BBC website.