Africa has witnessed more military coups than any other continent in the world. Between 2000 and 2025, the continent has seen more than 15 countries being taken over by military governments. Most of these happened in West Africa and Central Africa, and the Sahel, the region which has come to be referred to as the “Coup Belt.”
Although the continent is making giant leaps towards attaining full democracy compared to the 1990s, the past 25 years have still witnessed some rather shocking coups that have disrupted governance, undermined democratic institutions, and reshaped regional politics.
Here is a timeline of military coups in Africa from 2000 to 2025
1. 2003: Central African Republic
The first military coup witnessed in Africa since 2000 occurred in 2003, when the government of President Ange-Félix Patassé was toppled on March 15 through a military coup led by General François Bozizé, marking the end of the 10-year rule of President Ange-Félix Patassé. This came after failed military coups in 2001 and 2002.
Before the bloodless coup, the government was accused of various human rights abuses and corruption.
2. 2005: Togo
The next coup on the African continent since 2000 took place in 2005 following the death of the country’s long-term president, Gnassingbe Eyadema.
Eyadema was in power for 38 years after taking over via a coup himself. On February 5, 2005, he died as a result of a heart attack.
The country’s constitution mandated the Speaker of Parliament to step in as interim leader until elections are held within 60 days. Rather than adhering to that, the military orchestrated a coup and announced Faure Gnassingbe as president. Their reason was that they wanted to prevent a power vacuum since the speaker was on a trip when it happened.
3. 2008: Mauritania
On August 6, 2008, Mauritania witnessed the ousting of President Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi through a military coup after only a year in power. Led by General Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, the motivation behind the government takeover was the firing of several generals, including Aziz, on the morning of the bloodless coup.
4. 2010: Niger
The next coup took place in Niger on February 18, 2010 following the capture and ousting of President Mamadou Tandja. Before the coup, the president was making an effort to extend his stay in power beyond his 2nd term, which ended in December 2009, insisting that the people still wanted him.
The coup saw the emergence of the military junta, the Supreme Council for the Restoration of Democracy (CSRD).
5. 2012: Mali
Mali witnessed its first coup since 2000 on March 21, 2012, when the government of President Amadou Toumani Touré was forced out of power by Captain Amadou Sanogo.
The coup, which has been blamed for the Political instability and increased Islamist insurgency in northern Mali for many years to come, was caused by the dissatisfaction of the military with how the president was handling the 2012 insurgency in Northern Mali.
The coup brought Amadou Haya Sanogo to power, but he only stayed in office for less than a month before he resigned.
6. 2013: Central African Republic
Known for being rather volatile, the Central African Republic witnessed yet another military coup on March 24, 2013.
The coup saw the ousting of President François Bozizé, who, only a decade before, had seized power through a coup before he transitioned to a democratic leader. The coup was led by the Séléka rebel coalition, and it brought Michel Djotodia to power.
7. 2015: Burkina Faso
On September 16, 2015, Burkina Faso witnessed a brief coup that brought in Gilbert Diendéré as the president and leader of the military junta of the National Council for Democracy.
The coup ousted the interim president of the country, Michel Kafando. Less than a week after the coup, Diendere bowed to pressure from the international community and returned power to Michel Kafando.
8. 2017: Zimbabwe
Robert Mugabe was the president of Zimbabwe for 30 years before he was forced out of power through a strange coup in 2017. The coup was the first in the history of the country. Unlike many other coups, this coup stepped in to prevent Mugabe from naming his wife as his successor.
The military took over power from him and handed it to his erstwhile vice president, Emmerson Mnangagwa. This marked the end of the reign of one of the longest-serving presidents in African history.
9. 2019: Sudan
Two years after the ousting of Mugabe, another long-serving African president, Omar al-Bashir of Sudan, who was in power for 30 years, was also ousted through a military coup.
The coup was orchestrated on April 11, 2019, and it led to the formation of the transitional government formed with both civilian and military leaders.
10. 2020: Mali
Mali experienced a coup, which was carried out on August 18, 2020. It was led by Colonel Assimi Goïta against the government of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta.
One of the main reasons why a coup was carried out against him was his acceptance of the French troops in Mali.
11. 2021: Mali
A second coup in less than one year was orchestrated in Mali on May 24, 2021. The coup was again led by Colonel Assimi Goïta, who removed the transitional leaders and declared himself the interim president of the country.
12. 2021: Guinea
Another country that experienced a coup in 2021 is the West African country, Guinea. The coup ended the 11-year reign of Alpha Condé, who had been in power since 2010.
Before the coup, Conde was accused of corruption, and a bloody protest broke out in the country between 2019 and 2020. In 2020, he won a third term in office, changing the constitution to allow him to run for another term as against the 2 terms initially enshrined.
Barely a year after he won the controversial election, Lieutenant-Colonel Mamady Doumbouya led a coup that took Conde out of office on the grounds of corruption and mismanagement.
13. 2021: Sudan
On October 25, 2021, Sudan experienced another coup in less than 2 years. The coup was led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and it led to the dissolution of the civilian-military transitional government.
14. 2022: Burkina Faso (First Coup)
The next coup that happened in Africa happened in West Africa in Burkina Faso. The coup was led by Lieutenant Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba on January 24, 2022.
It led to the ousting of President Roch Marc Kaboré, who was in power for seven years. The coup plotters cited insecurity and jihadist violence.
15. 2022: Burkina Faso
Only eight months after the first coup, Burkina Faso experienced another coup on September 30, 2022. Like the initial coup, the second was claimed to be a result of security and jihadist threats.
The coup was led by Captain Ibrahim Traoré, and it brought an end to the regime of Sandaogo Damiba.
16. 2023: Niger
2023 was another year of multiple coups in Africa. The first coup that was carried out was on July 26, 2023 in Niger.
It was led by General Abdourahamane Tchiani. It led to the overthrow of the government of President Mohamed Bazoum.
See Also: 7 Political Prisoners in Africa Who Became National Heroes
17. 2023: Gabon
Gabon was the next country to experience a coup in 2023. It took place on August 30, 2023, and it led to the ousting of President Ali Bongo, who had been the country’s ruler since 2009, after he took over from his father.
Before the coup, Ali Bongo got the parliamentary houses of Gabon to abolish the re-election limit so he could contest for a third term, which he later won, although in a controversial manner.
The coup annulled the elections, ended the rule of Ali Bongo, and led to the formation of a transitional government.
Conclusion
Although 2024 and 2025 have not seen any coups thus far, there have been several rumors of coups in countries such as the Ivory Coast, which turned out to be false.
There have also been claims of failed coups, most especially in Burkina Faso. In April 2025, the military in Burkina Faso claimed it foiled a major coup attempt that sought to remove the government of Captain Ibrahim Traore from power.
