Full List of African Nations and their Presidents 2025
Africa stands as the world’s second-largest and second-most populous continent, covering approximately 20% of Earth’s land area with over 30.3 million square kilometers. (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, Africa without argument, is a continent of immense diversity and dynamic political culture, shaped by diverse leadership system. According to the report of worldometer Population Statistics, Africa’s population has surpassed 1.5 billion people as of December 2025. and Over the years, I’ve watched how this population bring-in leaders into power across the Africa Continent; from the west Africa through North Africa. The continent’s political evolution reflects a complex tapestry of democratic transitions, military interventions, and hereditary successions and its amazing how these event occurs. So I’ve decided to bring you a Full List of African Nations and their Presidents,
Overview of Africa Politics
Africa’s governance systems demonstrate remarkable diversity. The African Union’s Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, adopted in 2007, establishes frameworks for promoting democratic principles across member states. However, the continent has witnessed significant political turbulence in recent years.
And since 2020, Africa has experienced what analysts describe as a “coup belt” phenomenon, with at least nine successful military takeovers concentrated primarily in West Africa and the Sahel region. These unconstitutional changes of government have raised concerns about democratic recession across the continent, despite the African Union’s commitment to rejecting military coups.
Full List of African Nations and their Presidents
West Africa
| Country | President / Head of State | Took Office | How They Gained Power |
| Benin | Patrice Talon | 2016 | Election |
| Burkina Faso | Ibrahim Traoré | 2022 | Coup |
| Cabo Verde | José Maria Neves | 2021 | Election |
| Côte d’Ivoire | Alassane Ouattara | 2010 | Election |
| Gambia | Adama Barrow | 2017 | Election |
| Ghana | Nana Akufo-Addo | 2017 | Election |
| Guinea | Mamady Doumbouya | 2021 | Coup |
| Guinea-Bissau | Umaro Sissoco Embaló | 2020 | Election |
| Liberia | Joseph Boakai | 2024 | Election |
| Mali | Assimi Goïta | 2021 | Coup |
| Mauritania | Mohamed Ould Ghazouani | 2019 | Election |
| Niger | Abdourahamane Tchiani | 2023 | Coup |
| Nigeria | Bola Ahmed Tinubu | 2023 | Election |
| Senegal | Bassirou Diomaye Faye | 2024 | Election |
| Sierra Leone | Julius Maada Bio | 2018 | Election |
| Togo | Faure Gnassingbé | 2005 | Election |
The West African Coup Crisis
West Africa has become the epicenter of Africa’s recent military takeovers. Between 2020 and 2024, the region witnessed multiple coups, with Mali experiencing two back-to-back military interventions, Burkina Faso witnessing two coups in 2022 alone, and Niger and Guinea joining this concerning pattern. According to Freedom House analysis, these takeovers often stem from security failures in combating jihadist insurgencies, democratic deficits, and widespread dissatisfaction with elected governments’ inability to deliver security and development. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has struggled to enforce its anti-coup protocols, with Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger even withdrawing from the regional bloc in 2024.
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East Africa
| Country | President / Head of State | Took Office | How They Gained Power |
| Burundi | Évariste Ndayishimiye | 2020 | Election |
| Comoros | Azali Assoumani | 2016 | Election |
| Djibouti | Ismaïl Omar Guelleh | 1999 | Election |
| Eritrea | Isaias Afwerki | 1993 | Independence (Election) |
| Ethiopia | Sahle-Work Zewde (President) | 2018 | Parliamentary Appointment |
| Kenya | William Ruto | 2022 | Election |
| Madagascar | Andry Rajoelina | 2023 | Election |
| Malawi | Lazarus Chakwera | 2020 | Election |
| Mauritius | Prithvirajsing Roopun (President) | 2019 | Parliamentary Appointment |
| Mozambique | Filipe Nyusi | 2015 | Election |
| Rwanda | Paul Kagame | 2000 | Election |
| Seychelles | Wavel Ramkalawan | 2020 | Election |
| Somalia | Hassan Sheikh Mohamud | 2022 | Election (Indirect) |
| South Sudan | Salva Kiir Mayardit | 2011 | Independence (Election) |
| Tanzania | Samia Suluhu Hassan | 2021 | Succeeded (Election) |
| Uganda | Yoweri Museveni | 1986 | Election (Originally by rebellion) |
Central Africa
| Country | President / Head of State | Took Office | How They Gained Power |
| Angola | João Lourenço | 2017 | Election |
| Cameroon | Paul Biya | 1982 | Succeeded (Election) |
| Central African Republic | Faustin-Archange Touadéra | 2016 | Election |
| Chad | Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno | 2021 (Transitional), 2024 (Elected) | Coup, then Election |
| Congo | Denis Sassou Nguesso | 1997 | Election (Originally by rebellion) |
| DR Congo | Félix Tshisekedi | 2019 | Election |
| Equatorial Guinea | Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo | 1979 | Coup (then Election) |
| Gabon | Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema | 2023 | Coup |
| São Tomé and PrÃncipe | Carlos Vila Nova | 2021 | Election |
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Southern Africa
| Country | President / Head of State | Took Office | How They Gained Power |
| Botswana | Mokgweetsi Masisi | 2018 | Election |
| Eswatini | Mswati III (King) | 1986 | Hereditary Succession |
| Lesotho | Letsie III (King) | 1996 | Hereditary Succession |
| Namibia | Nangolo Mbumba | 2024 | Succeeded (Election) |
| South Africa | Cyril Ramaphosa | 2018 | Election (Parliament) |
| Zambia | Hakainde Hichilema | 2021 | Election |
| Zimbabwe | Emmerson Mnangagwa | 2017 | Succeeded (then Election) |
North Africa
| Country | President / Head of State | Took Office | How They Gained Power |
| Algeria | Abdelmadjid Tebboune | 2019 | Election |
| Egypt | Abdel Fattah el-Sisi | 2014 | Election (After leading a coup) |
| Libya | Mohamed al-Menfi (Pres. Council Chair.) | 2021 | Appointment (UN-led process) |
| Morocco | Mohammed VI (King) | 1999 | Hereditary Succession |
| Sudan | Abdel Fattah al-Burhan | 2019 | Coup |
| Tunisia | Kais Saied | 2019 | Election |
Note on Categorization: This list uses the common United Nations geoscheme for Africa. Some countries, like Mauritania and Sudan, have cultural and geographical ties to multiple regions, but are placed in one primary category here for clarity.
Africa’s Longest-Serving Leaders
Africa continent hosts some of the world’s most enduring political figures. According to research from the Council on Foreign Relations, five African heads of state have maintained power for over three decades: Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo (Equatorial Guinea), Paul Biya (Cameroon), Denis Sassou Nguesso (Republic of Congo), Yoweri Museveni (Uganda), and Isaias Afwerki (Eritrea).
Teodoro Obiang holds the distinction of being Africa’s longest-serving president, having ruled Equatorial Guinea since 1979—over 45 years. His tenure, which began with a military coup against his uncle, makes him one of the longest-serving non-royal leaders globally. Paul Biya of Cameroon, at 91 years old, holds the title of the world’s oldest serving head of state.
These extended tenures often result from constitutional amendments removing term limits, suppression of political opposition, and control over state institutions. The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), established in 2003, aims to monitor governance standards, though implementation remains inconsistent.
lets see some statistics and trends
Key Statistics and Trends
Coup Statistics
Data from Powell and Thyne indicates that out of 54 African countries, 45 have experienced at least one coup attempt since 1950, with 37 witnessing successful takeovers. Al Jazeera’s mapping project shows that Africa accounts for 106 of the 242 successful military coups globally since 1950.
Sudan leads with 18 total coup attempts (6 successful), while Burkina Faso has experienced the highest number of successful coups at nine. The recent surge has been particularly concentrated in former French colonies, with 21 of 27 coups in sub-Saharan Africa since 1990 occurring in Francophone nations.
Regional Distribution
East Africa currently comprises 18 nations, making it the region with the most countries. West Africa follows with 16 countries, several of which have experienced recent political instability. The UN geoscheme classification places countries based on geographical and political considerations, though some nations like Mauritania and Sudan have cultural ties spanning multiple regions.
Monarchies vs Republics
While most African nations operate as republics with elected presidents, the continent still maintains absolute monarchies (Eswatini, Morocco) and constitutional monarchies (Lesotho). These hereditary systems contrast sharply with the democratic aspirations outlined in continental frameworks.