By Nchetachi Chukwuajah
On Wednesday, November 26, military officers in Guinea-Bissau announced they had taken “total control” of the country while suspending its electoral process and closing its borders.
The military further appointed a new leader in the country on Thursday, November 27.
The military takeover comes three days after the country held its legislative and presidential elections, in which President Umaro Sissoco Embaló had declared victory, claiming 65 per cent of the vote based on figures compiled by his team.
Gunfire was heard earlier in the day near the country’s presidential palace as men in military uniform took over the main road leading to the building.
President Embaló confirmed that he had been arrested by senior military figures and was detained at about 1 p.m. while inside his office at the presidential palace.
Also arrested were the armed forces’ chief of staff, General Biaguê Na Ntan; the deputy chief of staff, General Mamadou Touré; and the interior minister, Botché Candé.
Apart from Guinea-Bissau, many other African countries have witnessed coups and attempted coups, with nine of them happening in the last five years.
In this article, Impact Nigeria Newspaper highlights the seven countries in Africa with records of coups and attempted coups in the last five years.
Mali
In August 2020, Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita was overthrown by five army colonels, led by Colonel Assimi Goita. The military also took over from the civilian leaders of an interim government in May 2021, with Colonel Goita, who led both coups, sworn in as transitional president.
Goita’s government promised to hold elections in February 2024, which the military has put off indefinitely, citing the jihadist violence plaguing the country.
The junta approved a law in July 2025 granting him a five-year presidential mandate, renewable without election. This led to the launch of a fuel blockade by jihadists in September in the West African nation, aimed at weakening Goita’s government.
Guinea
Guinea has witnessed previous military takeovers amid public protests and contested leadership transitions, with the latest being on September 5, 2021.
Military officers, led by Lieutenant-Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, took over in Guinea, arresting President Alpha Condé.
In early September 2025, Doumbouya announced his candidacy to contest in the December 28 elections of the country, meant to restore constitutional order.
Sudan
Since its independence in 1956, Sudan has recorded over 17 coup attempts, making it the country in Africa with the most record of coups.
The recent account of such a military takeover occurred on October 25, 2021, when the armed forces, led by army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, staged a coup.
The coup came after weeks of tension between the military and civilian leaders, who had a history of power sharing since the sacking of Omar al-Bashir.
The North-eastern African country, since April 2023, has been ravaged by war between the regular armed forces led by Burhan and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, led by his former deputy, Mohammed Hamdan Daglo, and has so far killed tens of thousands of people and created one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
Burkina Faso
With political instability linked to internal power struggles and regional security challenges, Burkina Faso, another West African country, has witnessed multiple coups, two of which occurred in 2022.
The first was in January 2022, when troops led by Lieutenant-Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba arrested President Roch Marc Christian Kabore.
The country witnessed a counter coup in September 2022 as army officers announced they had dismissed Damiba.
Captain Ibrahim Traore became the transitional president and has failed to conduct an election in the country as he promised. He was authorised in May 2024 to stay for another five years.
Niger
Niger’s President, Mohamed Bazoum, who was elected in 2021, was overthrown by the presidential guard on July 26, 2023, with the head of the presidential guard, General Abdourahamane Tiani, taking over.
Tiani’s military rule extended its transitional leadership of the country by at least five years in March 2025.
Gabon
After being ruled for 55 years by the Bongo family, army officers on August 30, 2023, overthrew President Ali Bongo, less than an hour after he was declared the winner of an election criticised by the opposition as being fraudulent.
General Brice Oligui Nguema was thereafter named the transitional president and would go on to be elected president in April 2025, having secured 94.85 percent of the vote.
Nguema took over the reins and was sworn in on the basis of a new constitution approved by referendum during the transition.
Madagascar
Following weeks of “Gen Z” anti-government protests, Madagascar’s president, Andry Rajoelina, was ousted in October 2025 by the military to douse tensions.
Army colonel Michael Randrianirina was later sworn in as Madagascar’s new president, with a promise to hold elections within 18 to 24 months.
Guinea-Bissau
Since independence, Guinea-Bissau has endured multiple coups and attempted coups, with four successful takeovers, the latest being a military takeover on Wednesday, November 26, 2025, making it one of the most politically volatile countries in West Africa.
