Skip to main content

Abstract

Since the 1952 military putsch in Egypt, Africa has witnessed 214 military coup attempts. Out of these, 104 were successful while 108 failed. Most of the coups were consequent upon the fragile colonial state and governing structures bequeathed on African countries. This chapter takes a historical excursion into the era of military coups and government in Africa since 1952. While colonialism and the nature of decolonisation prepared the context for political instability, post-independent African states were victims of internal socio-political rivalries among the political and military elites. This development, fuelled by the attitudinal disposition of the elites to state power, has remained a defining feature of African governance. The chapter submits that while successive military regimes failed to correct the mistakes of their predecessors, the civilian regimes that succeeded military autocracy continued to falter in the promotion of good governance.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 109.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 139.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    Please see Appendix 1 for a full compilation of military coups—both successful and unsuccessful.

  2. 2.

    A palace coup represents a coup d’état carried out by officers who were already part of the group in power before the coup.

References

  • Adedeji, J. L. (2001). The Legacy of JJ Rawlings in Ghanaian Politics, 1979-2000. African Studies Quarterly, 5(2), 1–27.

    Google Scholar 

  • Adekoya, R. (2021). Why Are Coups Making a Comeback in Africa? CNN. 13 September. https://edition.cnn.com/2021/09/12/africa/africa-coups-resurgence-intl-cmd/index.html

  • Ademoyega, A. (2012). Why We Struck; The Story of the First Nigerian Coup. Evans Brother.

    Google Scholar 

  • Africa Growth Initiative. (2021). Foresight Africa 2021. The Brookings Institution. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/foresight-africa-2021/

    Google Scholar 

  • Africa Growth Initiative. (2022). Foresight Africa: Top Priorities for the Continent in 2022. The Brookings Institution. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/foresight-africa-2022/

    Google Scholar 

  • Agbiboa, D. E. (2012). Between Corruption and Development: The Political Economy of State Robbery in Nigeria. Journal of Business Ethics, 108(3), 325–345.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alexander, H. T. (1965). African Tightrope: My Two Years as Nkrumah’s Chief of Staff. Praeger.

    Google Scholar 

  • Aluu, V. (2018). True Federalism and Restructuring in Nigeria: Challenges and the Way Forward. SSRN. https://ssrn.com/abstract=3166191

  • Amin, S. (1973). Neo-Colonialism in West Africa. Penguin Books, Ltd.

    Google Scholar 

  • Amoateng, N. (2022). Military Coups in Africa: A Continuation of Politics by Other Means? Conflict and Resilience 2022/1, 19 August. https://www.accord.org.za/conflict-trends/military-coups-in-africa-a-continuation-of-politics-by-other-means/

  • Amuwo, K. (2013). Beyond Prebendal Politics: Class and Political Struggles in Postcolonial Nigeria. In W. Adebanwi & E. Obadare (Eds.), Democracy and Prebendalism in Nigeria: Critical Interpretations (pp. 121–146). Palgrave Macmillan.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Arize, B. C., & James, C. C. (2023). Military in Nigerian Politics: Implication for Nation Building 1966-1998. Nigerian Journal of African Studies (NJAS), 5(2), 12.

    Google Scholar 

  • Arowosegbe, J. O. (2017). Corruption and Profligacy as Governance Failure in Nigeria. Journal of the Historical Society of Nigeria, 26, 122–153.

    Google Scholar 

  • Assensoh, A. B., & Alex-Assensoh, Y. M. (2001). African Military History and Politics: Coups and Ideological incursions, 1900–present. Palgrave.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • AU PSC. (2014). Press Statement of the 432nd Meeting of the PSC on ‘Unconstitutional Changes of Governments and Popular Uprisings in Africa 29 May. https://www.peaceau.org/en/article/press-statement-of-the-432nd-meeting-on-unconstitutional-changes-of-governments-and-popular-uprisings-in-africa

  • Babalola, D., & Onapajo, H. (2019). New Clamour for “Restructuring” in Nigeria: Elite Politics, Contradictions, and Good Governance. African Studies Quarterly, 18(4), 41–56.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bahouli, L. (2023). The Military and Political Corruption in Sub-Saharan Africa. Journal of Political Orbits, 7(1), 449–464.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beinin, J. (1989). Labor, Capital, and the State in Nasserist Egypt, 1952–1961. International Journal of Middle East Studies, 21(1), 71–90.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ben Hammou, S. (2023). The Varieties of Civilian Praetorianism: Evidence From Sudan’s Coup Politics. Armed Forces & Society, 1–22.

    Google Scholar 

  • Birchler, K. (2012). The Effect of Military Political Power on Economic Development in de jure Democracies. CIS WORKING PAPER Nr. 76, 2012. The Center for Comparative and International Studies (ETH Zurich and University of Zurich).

    Google Scholar 

  • Brooks, R., & White, P. B. (2022). Oust the Leader, Keep the Regime? Autocratic Civil-military Relations and Coup Behavior in the Tunisian and Egyptian Militaries During the 2011 Arab Spring. Security Studies, 31(1), 118–151.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buah, F. K (1980). A History of Ghana. New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burk, J. (2002). Theories of Democratic Civil-military Relations. Armed Forces & Society, 29(1), 7–29.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cunliffe, P. (2013). Legions of Peace: UN Peacekeepers from the Global South. Hurst.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cunliffe, P. (2018). From Peacekeepers to Praetorians—How Participating in Peacekeeping Operations May Subvert Democracy. International Relations, 32(2), 218–239.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • D’Agoot, M. (2022). Toward Stable Civil-Military Relations in Sudan. Middle East Policy, 29(4), 107–120.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Darkwa, S. K. (2022). One-Party Rule and Military Dictatorship in Africa. In F. Kumah-Abiwu & S. O. Abidde (Eds.), Jerry John Rawlings: Leadership and Legacy: A Pan-African Perspective (pp. 35–47). Springer International Publishing.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Decalo, S. (1973). Military Coups and Military Regimes in Africa. Journal of Modern African Studies, 11(1), 105–127.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Decalo, S. (1976). Coups and Army Rule in Africa: Studies in Military Style. Yale University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Decalo, S. (1989). Modalities of Civil-Military Stability in Africa. Journal of Modern African Studies, 27(4), 547–578.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Decalo, S. (1990). Coups and Army Rule in Africa. Yale University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dekmejian, R. H. (2021). Egypt and Turkey: The Military in the Background. In R. Kolkowicza & A. Korbonski (Eds.), Soldiers, Peasants, and Bureaucrats (pp. 28–51). Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Diamond, L. (1988). Ethnicity and Democracy in Nigeria. The Macmillan Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Diamond, L., Kirk-Greene, A., & Oyediran, O. (Eds.). (1997). Transition Without End: Nigerian Politics and Civil Society Under Babangida. Lynne Rienner Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Duzor, M., & Williamson, B. (2022). By the Numbers: Coups in Africa. VOA News, 2`February. https://projects.voanews.com/african-coups/

  • Dwyer, M. (2015a). Peacekeeping Abroad, Trouble Making At Home: Mutinies in West Africa. African Affairs, 455(114), 206–225.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dwyer, M. (2015b). Tactical Communication: Mutiny as a Dialogue in West and Central Africa. Africa Spectrum, 50(1), 5–23.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dwyer, M. (2015c). Borrowed Scripts: Democratization and Military Mutinies in West and Central Africa. Conflict, Security, and Development, 15(2), 97–118.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dwyer, M. (2017). Soldiers in Revolt: Army Mutinies in Africa. Hurst & Company.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dwyer, M. (2022). Burkina Faso’s Coup Makers Capitalized on Wider Grievances within the Ranks. The Washington Post, 28 January. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/01/28/burkina-fasos-coup-makers-capitalized-wider-grievances-within-ranks/

  • Egbule, P. O. (2019). Appraising the Role of Military Governments Towards Nation Building in Africa: A Focus on Murtala-Obasanjo Administration in Nigeria. Journal of Nation-building & Policy Studies, 3(1), 103–115.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Elaigwu, I. (2002). Federalism in Nigeria’s New Democratic Polity. Publius, 32(2), 73–95.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fagbadebo, O. M. (2007). Corruption, Governance and Political Instability in Nigeria. African Journal of Political Science and International Relations, 1(2), 028–037.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fagbadebo, O. M. (2020). Impeachment in the Nigerian Presidential System: Challenges, Successes and the Way Forward. Palgrave Macmillan.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Fagbadebo, O. M. (2022). AU ‘Lacks the Will’ to Stamp Out Coups, Terrorism Scourge. IOL, 4 June. https://www.iol.co.za/news/politics/opinion/au-lacks-the-will-to-stamp-out-coups-terrorism-scourge-e89bec57-4c85-45c8-9105-ddb6a5c4166f

  • Harkness, K. A. (2016). The Ethnic Army and the State: Explaining Coup Traps and the Difficulties of Democratization in Africa. The Journal of Conflict Resolution, 60(4), 587–616.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harkness, K. A. (2022). The Ethnic Stacking in Africa Dataset: When Leaders Use Ascriptive Identity to Build Military Loyalty. Conflict Management and Peace Science, 39(5), 609–632.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haynes, J. (2021). Some Ghanaians Hate Him, Some Love Him: The Mixed Legacy of Jerry John Rawlings. The Conversation, September 23. https://theconversation.com/some-ghanaians-hate-him-some-love-him-the-mixed-legacy-of-jerry-john-rawlings-163310

  • Hesse, B. (2015). Why Deploy to Somalia? Understanding Six African Countries’ Reasons for Sending Soldiers to One of the World’s Most Failed States. Journal of the Middle East and Africa, 6(3–4), 329–352.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huntington, S. P. 1957. The Soldier and the State: The Theory and Politics of Civil–Military Relations. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Huntington, S. P. (1968). Political Order in Changing Societies. Yale University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Joseph, R. A. (2014). Democracy and Prebendal Politics in Nigeria (56). Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Karawan, I. (2011). Politics and the Army in Egypt. Survival, 53(2), 43–50.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kieh, G. K., Jr. (2009). The Roots of the Second Liberian Civil War. International Journal on World Peace, 26(1), 7–30.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kramer, R. S., Lobban, R. A., Jr., & Fluehr-Lobban, C. (2013). Historical Dictionary of the Sudan (4th ed.). Scarecrow Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Levine, D. H. (2016). The Impact of Ghanaian Peacekeeping on Domestic Civil–Military Relations. The Good Society, 25(1), 81–104.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Loo, B. F. W. (2020). The Challenges Facing 21st-Century Military Modernization. PRISM, NDU Press, 8(3), 10 January. https://ndupress.ndu.edu/Media/News/News-Article-View/Article/2054165/the-challenges-facing-21st-century-military-modernization/

  • Luckham, R. (1994). The Military, Militarization and Democratization in Africa: A Survey of Literature and Issues. African Studies Review, 37(2), 13–76.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maguraushe, W., Muranda, R., & Chimbudzi, W. (2022). Portrayal of Zimbabwe’s Socio-Economic Struggles through Winky D’s Zimdancehall Soundscape. Mankind Quarterly, 63(2), 212–229.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • May, C. D. (1984). Military Rule Is Contagious in Africa. New York Times, 6 May. https://www.nytimes.com/1984/05/06/weekinreview/military-rule-is-contagious-in-africa.html

  • McGowan, P. J. (2003). African Military Coups d’état, 1956-2001: Frequency, Trends and Distribution. The Journal of Modern African Studies, 41(3), 339–370.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nassif, H. B. (2017). Coups and Nascent Democracies: The Military and Egypt’s Failed Consolidation. Democratization, 24(1), 157–174.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • N’Diaye, B. (2001). The Challenge of Institutionalizing Civilian Control: Botswana, Ivory Coast, and Kenya in Comparative Perspective. Lexington Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nishioka, S. (2022). The Future of “Coup Contagion” in Africa. American Security Project, 22 March. https://www.americansecurityproject.org/the-future-of-coup-contagion-in-africa/

  • Olonisakin, F. (1997). African “Homemade” Peacekeeping Initiatives. Armed Forces & Society, 23(3), 349–371.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Opeyeoluwa, R. O. (2023). The Nigerian Revolution and the Biafran Civil War. Journal of Contemporary International Relations and Diplomacy, 4(1), 753–756.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Perlmutter, A. (1974). Egypt: The Praetorian State. Transaction Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pilling, D. (2019). Zimbabwe’s Economic Crisis Has Reached a Breaking Point. Financial Times, 14 August. https://www.ft.com/content/ecae3702-bde1-11e9-89e2-41e555e96722

  • Ruhanya, P., & Gumbo, B. (2022). The Securocratic State: Conceptualising the Transition Problem in Zimbabwe. Third World Thematics: A TWQ Journal, 8(3), 1–19.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schiel, R., Powell, J., & Daxecker, U. (2020). Peacekeeping Deployments and Mutinies in African Sending States. Foreign Policy Analysis, 16(3), 251–271.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schiff, R. L. (2009). The Military and Domestic Politics a Concordance Theory of Civil–military Relations. Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Scobell, A. (1994). Politics, Professionalism, and Peacekeeping: An Analysis of the 1987 Coup in Fiji. Comparative Politics, 26(2), 187–201.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, I. (2018). The Military in African Politics, African Politics: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford Academic.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • The Fund for Peace. (2021). Fragile States Index. The Fund for Peace. https://fragilestatesindex.org/

    Google Scholar 

  • Velázquez, A. S. (2010). Why Some States Participate in UN Peace Missions While Others Do Not: An Analysis of Civil-Military Relations and Its Effects on Latin America’s Contributions to Peacekeeping Operations. Security Studies, 19(1), 160–195.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Welch, C. E., Jr. (1975). Continuity and Discontinuity in African Military Organisation. Journal of Modern African Studies, 13(2), 229–248.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Welch, C. E., Jr. (1987). The Military and the State in Africa: Problems of Political Transition. In Z. Ergas (Ed.), The African State in Transition. Palgrave Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wiking, S. (1983). Military Coups in Sub-Saharan Africa How to Justify Illegal Assumptions of Power. Scandinavian Institute of African Studies.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zakari, M. B., & Button, M. (2022). Confronting the Monolith: Insider Accounts of the Nature and Techniques of Corruption in Nigeria. Journal of White Collar and Corporate Crime, 3(2), 100–108.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Appendix 1: List of Military Interventions, Successful and Failed Attempts, in Africa since 1952

Appendix 1: List of Military Interventions, Successful and Failed Attempts, in Africa since 1952

Date

Country

Nature

23-07-1952

Egypt

Egyptian Free Officers Movement, led by Mohammed Naguib and General Gamal Abdel Nasser Hussein, removed King Farouk in a bloodless coup, otherwise termed the Egyptian Revolution, that changed the country’s status from a kingdom to a republic

27-02-1954

Egypt

General Gamal Abdel Nasser Hussein took over power from General Mohammed Naguib. This followed a failed attempt, by a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, on the life of Nasser. He cracked down on the organisation, put President Naguib under house arrest, and assumed executive office

18-08-1955

Sudan

There was an attempted coup, backed by the military

17-11-1958

Sudan

General Ibrahim Abboud led 4000 troops to occupy Khartoum and oust the Prime Minister, Abdullah Bey Khalil, who initiated the coup

21-05-1959

Sudan

There was an attempted coup

09-11-1959

Sudan

There was an attempted coup, backed by the military

14-09-1960

Congo

Colonel Joseph Desire Mobutu Sese Seko led a military coup to remove the Prime Minister, Patrice Lumumba

14-12-1960

Ethiopia

There was an attempted coup, backed by the military

10-12-1961

Somalia

There was an attempted coup, backed by the military

14-12-1961

Ethiopia

There was an attempted coup

17-12-1962

Senegal

There was an attempted coup

13-01-1963

Togo

Togolese President Sylvanus Olympio was assassinated by the military, which installed Nicholas Grunitzky

15-08-1963

Congo

The military forced President Abbe Fulbert Youlou to resign, and then installed Alphonse Massemba-Debat

23-10-1963

Benin Republic

Colonel Christophe Soglo seized power upon the resignation of President Hubert Maga

30-06-1964

Algeria

There was an attempted coup, backed by the military

19-06-1965

Algeria

There was an attempted coup, backed by the military

18-10-1965

Burundi

There was an attempted coup. The leader was injured in the coup

25-11-1965

Congo

General Joseph Mobutu Sese Seko took over power upon the removal of President Joseph Kasavubu and Prime Minister

Evariste Kimba

29-11-1965

Benin Republic

The deposed leader, President Sourou-Migan Apithy, was jailed but fled the country. The coup was one of eight carried out in Benin, then called Dahomey, between 1963 and 1975. Since then, the country has experienced no coups

22-12-1965

Benin Republic

General Soglo appointed himself Head of State upon the dismissal of the government

01-01-1966

Central African Republic (CAR)

Colonel Jean-Bédel Bokassa overthrew the government of President David Dacko

03-01-1966

Burkina Faso

Colonel Sangoulé Lamizana ousted President Maurice Yameogo

15-01-1966

Nigeria

Young military officers in a putsch sacked the government and general Aguiyi Ironsi became the Head of State

22-02-1966

Uganda

Prime Minister Milton Obote, with the support of the military and police, removed the president and arrested opponents and military officers

24-02-1966

Ghana

Major-General Joseph Ankrah was appointed the Head of State upon the successful coup that ousted President Kwame Nkrumah

27-6-1966

Congo

On 27 June 1966 there was an attempted coup. It was a military-backed coup.

08-07-1966

Burundi

Captain Michel Micombero helped Prince Charles Ndizeye to replace his father as Head of State

29-07-1966

Nigeria

A bloody counter-coup that led to the death of Ironsi and replaced him with Lieutenant-Colonel Yakubu Gowon

28-11-1966

Burundi

Captain Michel Micombero deposed King Ntare V, became the president, and abolished monarchy

18-12-1966

Sudan

There was an attempted coup

28-12-1966

Sudan

There was an attempted coup. It was a military-backed coup

13-01-1967

Togo

Lieutenant-Colonel Etienne Eyadema overthrew president Nicholas Grunitzky

21-03-1967

Sierra Leone

Brigadier David Lansana led a coup that ousted President Siaka Stevens and installed Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Juxton-Smith

17-04-1967

Ghana

There was an attempted military coup

14-12-1967

Algeria

There was an attempted military coup

17-12-1967

Benin Republic

Major Mathieu Kerekou and Colonel Maurice Kouandete removed President Soglo and installed Colonel Alphonse Alley as Head of State

18-04-1968

Sierra Leone

Military Officers removed Colonel Juxton-Smith and restored President Siaka Stevens to power

03-08-1968

Congo

Captain Marien Ngouabi ousted President Massemba-Debat and appointed Lieutenant A. Poignet as Head of State

04-09-1968

Congo

There was a successful coup, which occurred a month after an attempted coup. The military-backed coup was led by Marien Ngouabi, who assumed the presidency on 1 January 1969 and held power for the next eight years until he was assassinated

02-09-1968

Congo

Captain Marien Ngouabi removed the president and installed Alfred Raoul as interim president

19-11-1968

Mali

Lieutenant Moussa Traore led the coup that ousted President Modibo Keita

05-03-1969

Equatorial Guinea

There was an attempted coup

25-05-1969

Sudan

Colonel Gaafar al-Nimeiry removed Prime Minister Mahgoub

01-09-1969

Libya

There was a successful coup. It was a military-backed coup. The deposed leader, King Idris I, fled the country in the coup

08-11-1969

Congo

There was an attempted coup

21-10-1969

Somalia

Major-General Siad Barre appointed as Head of State following the assassination of President Abdirashid Ali Shermake

10-12-1969

Benin

Lieutenant-Colonel Maurice Kouandete overthrew the government of President Emile Derlin Zinsou

22-03-1970

Congo

On 22 March 1970, there was a military-backed attempted coup

25-01-1971

Uganda

General Idi Amin overthrew the government of President Milton Obote

10-07-1971

Morocco

There was a military-backed attempted coup with the aid of foreign powers. King Hassam II of Morocco was temporarily placed under house arrest before he retook control. More than 90 people were killed in the attempted coup and the king’s brother, Moulay Abdullah, was one of dozens who were injured

19-07-1971

Sudan

There was an attempted coup. It was a military-backed coup

13-01-1972

Ghana

Colonel Ignatius K. Acheampong overthrew the government of Prime Minister Kofi Busia

22-02-1972

Congo

There was an attempted coup. It was a military-backed coup

23-02-1972

Benin Republic

There was a military-backed attempted coup

18-05-1972

Madagascar

The military forced President Philibert Tsiranana to resign, and appointed General Gabriel Ramanantsoa as Head of State

16-08-1972

Morocco

There was an attempted coup. It was a military-backed coup

26-10-1972

Benin

Major Mathieu Kerekou assumed power upon the removal of President Justin Ahbadegbe

05-07-1973

Rwanda

Major-General Juvenal Habyalimana overthrew the Government of President Gregoire Kayibanda, who was killed in the coup

08-02-1974

Burkina Faso

President Sangoulé Lamizana, with the support of the military, disbanded the government, suspended the constitution, and seized power

17-02-1974

Gabon

There was an attempted coup. It was a military-backed coup. The leader was jailed in the coup

23-03-1974

Uganda

There was an attempted coup. It was a military-backed coup

15-04-1974

Niger

A bloody coup led by Lieutenant-Colonel Seyni Kountche overthrew the regime of President Hamani Diori

12-09-1974

Ethiopia

The military, led by Lieutenant-General Aman Michael Anoom, removed Emperor Haile Selassie

11-11-1974

Uganda

There was an attempted coup. It was a military-backed coup

31-12-1974

Madagascar

There was an attempted coup. It was a military-backed coup

21-01-1975

Benin Republic

There was a military-backed attempted coup. It was one of eight coups—attempted or successful—carried out in Benin, then called Dahomey, between 1963 and 1975. Since then, the country has experienced no coups

05-02-1975

Madagascar

Major-General Gabriel Ramanantsoa succeeded President Philibert Tsiranana in 18 May 1972, upon his resignation because of anti-government demonstrations. He survived a failed coup on 31 December 1974. On 5 February 1975, he handed over power to Lieutenant-Colonel Richard Ratsimandrava, who was assassinated six days later

13-04-1975

Chad

General Noel Odingar overthrew President N’Garta Tombalbaye

29-07-1975

Nigeria

General Yakubu Gowon was removed in a palace coup and Brigadier Murtala Mohammed replaced him as Head of State

03-08-1975

Comoros

Ali Soilih, a civilian, deposed President Said Mohamed Jaffar, with the help of Robert Denard, a mercenary. He officially became President of the Revolutionary Council on 1 January 1976

05-08-1975

Libya

There was an attempted coup. It was a military-backed coup

05-09-1975

Sudan

There was an attempted coup. It was a military-backed coup

17-12-1975

Mozambique

There was an attempted coup

05-02-1976

CAR

There was an attempted coup. It was a military-backed coup

13-02-1976

Nigeria

A failed but bloody palace coup led by Major Dimka led to the death of General Mohammed, while General Olusegun Obasanjo became the Head of State

15-03-1976

Niger

On 15 March 1976, there was an attempted coup. It was a military-backed coup

02-07-1976

Sudan

There was a rebel-backed attempted coup with the aid of foreign powers

1-11-1976

Burundi

Lieutenant-Colonel Jean-Baptiste Bagaza removed Lieutenant-General Michel Micombero as Head of State

03-02-1977

Sudan

On 3 February 1977, there was an attempted coup. It was a military-backed coup

03-02-1977

Ethiopia

On 3 February 1977, there was a successful coup led by Mengistu Haile Mariam

01-04-1977

Chad

There was an attempted coup. It was a military-backed coup

27-05-1977

Angola

There was an attempted coup. It was a military-backed coup

04-06-1977

Seychelles

President James Mancham was removed, with the assistance of the military and police, in a coup led by Prime Minister France-Albert Rene, who ruled from 1977 to 2004

15-02-1978

Mali

There was a military-backed attempted coup

09-04-1978

Somalia

There was an attempted coup

13-05-1978

Comoros

President Ali Soilih was removed by an alliance of politicians and soldiers under the leadership of Robert Denard, and succeeded by Ahmed Abdallah. He was later killed on 29 May 1978

05-07-1978

Ghana

General Ignatius Acheampong was forced to resign and was replaced by Lieutenant-General Frederick Akuffo

10-07-1978

Mauritania

Lieutenant-Colonel Mustapha Salek overthrew President Ould Daddah

03-08-1978

Equatorial Guinea

There was a successful military-backed coup. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo overthrew his uncle, President Francisco Macías Nguema, and would go on to hold power for over four decades. Lieutenant-Colonel Teodoro Nguema Mbasogo overthrew President Macias Nguema Masie

20-09-1978

Central African Republic (CAR)

The military deposed Emperor Jean-Bédel Bokassa and reinstalled former President David Dacko

11-04-1979

Uganda

Field Marshal Idi Amin removed from power

15-05-1979

Ghana

There was an attempted coup. It was a military-backed coup

04-06-1979

Ghana

Flight-Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings became the Head of State in a palace coup against Lieutenant-General Frederick Akuffo

04-01-1980

Mauritania

Lieutenant-Colonel Mohamed Khouna Ould Haidalla overthrew President Mustapha Salek

12-04-1980

Liberia

Master Sergeant Samuel K. Doe led a coup that killed President William R. Tolbert

11-05-1980

Uganda

Mutinous soldiers removed President Godfrey Binaisa and restored President Milton Obote to power

16-10-1980

Zambia

There was a military-backed attempted coup with the aid of foreign powers

14-11-1980

Guinea-Bissau

The military removed President Luis Cabral and installed the Prime Minister, Major Joao Vieira, as President

25-11-1980

Burkina Faso

Colonel Saye Zerbo overthrew President Sangoulé Lamizana

29-07-1981

The Gambia

On 29 July 1981, there was a rebel-backed attempted coup

01-09-1981

Central African Republic (CAR)

General Andre Kolingba overthrew President David Dacko

31-12-1981

Ghana

Flight-Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings overthrew President Hilla Limann

06-02-1982

Mauritania

There was an attempted coup

01-08-1982

Kenya

There was an attempted coup. It was a military-backed coup

07-11-1982

Burkina Faso

A bloody coup led by Major Jean-Baptist Ouedraogo ousted Colonel Saye Zerbo

23-11-1982

Ghana

There was an attempted coup

04-08-1983

Burkina Faso

Captain Thomas Sankara led a coup that toppled Major Jean-Baptist Ouedraogo

09-06-1983

Ghana

There was an attempted coup

10-08-1983

Eswatini

There was a successful coup in Eswatini, then known as Swaziland. Coup leaders deposed Queen Regent Dzeliwe, one of the many wives of King Sobhuza II. Queen Regent Dzeliwe had been in power for less than a year following the death of her husband when coup leaders installed Queen Regent Ntfombi, whose young son, Prince Makhosetive, was later crowned King Mswati III

05-10-1983

Niger

There was an attempted coup. It was a military-backed coup

31-12-1983

Nigeria

Major-General Mohammed Buhari deposed Alhaji Sheu Shagari in a bloodless coup

23-03-1984

Ghana

There was an attempted coup

03-04-1984

Guinea

Colonel Lansana Conte seized power upon the death of President Sekou Toure

06-04-1984

Cameroon

Bloody attempted coup aimed at President Paul Biya

12-12-1984

Mauritania

There was a successful coup. The deposed leader, President Mohamed Khouna Ould Haidalla, was jailed in the coup

01-04-1985

Liberia

On 1 April 1985, there was an attempted coup

06-04-1985

Sudan

There was a successful coup. It was a military-backed coup

04-07-1985

Guinea

There was an attempted coup

27-07-1985

Uganda

There was a successful military-backed coup. The deposed leader, President Milton Obote, fled the country in the coup. It was the second time Obote had been overthrown, having been ousted in a coup led by Idi Amin in 1971

27-08-1985

Nigeria

General Babangida toppled General Buhari in a palace coup

12-11-1985

Liberia

There was an attempted coup. It was a military-backed coup

20-01-1986

Lesotho

There was a successful coup. It was a military-backed coup. The deposed leader, Prime Minister Leabua Jonathan, was placed under house arrest in the coup

03-09-1987

Burundi

There was a successful coup. It was a military-backed coup

07-11-1987

Tunisia

There was a successful coup

01-04-1989

Chad

There was an attempted coup. It was a military-backed coup

16-05-1989

Ethiopia

There was an attempted coup. It was a military-backed coup. Twelve senior military officers linked to the attempt were subsequently executed

30-06-1989

Sudan

There was a successful coup led by Brigadier General Omar al-Bashir. It was a military-backed coup. The deposed leader, Prime Minister Sadiq al-Mahdi, was placed under house arrest in the coup

22-04-1990

Nigeria

Failed palace coup led by Major Gideon Orkar

30-06-1990

Zambia

There was an attempted coup. It was a military-backed coup

02-12-1990

Chad

Idriss Déby Itno ousted president Hissene Habre

26-03-1991

Mali

There was a successful coup. It was a military-backed coup. The deposed leader, President Moussa Traoré, was jailed in the coup

30-04-1991

Lesotho

There was a successful coup

14-07-1991

Mali

There was an attempted coup. It was a military-backed coup

01-10-1991

Togo

There was a military-backed attempted coup

07-10-1991

Togo

There was an attempted coup

13-10-1991

Chad

There was an attempted coup. It was a military-backed coup

28-11-1991

Togo

There was a military-backed attempted coup

15-12-1991

Togo

There was a military-backed attempted coup

11-01-1992

Algeria

There was a successful coup. It was a military-backed coup

29-07-1992

Madagascar

There was a military-backed attempted coup

27-01-1993

Chad

There was an attempted coup

03-07-1993

Burundi

There was an attempted coup. It was a military-backed coup

21-10-1993

Burundi

There was an attempted military-backed coup. It resulted in the assassination of President Melchior Ndadaye, but the coup failed and left Prime Minister Sylvie Kinigi in charge of the government. The attack helped to trigger a ten-year civil war that left an estimated 300,000 people dead

23-10-1993

Libya

There was an attempted coup. It was a military-backed coup

17-11-1993

Nigeria

General Sanni Abacha displaced the Interim National Government and took over power

07-04-1994

Rwanda

There was a successful coup. It was a military-backed coup. The deposed leader, President Juvénal Habyarimana, was killed in the coup

23-07-1994

The Gambia

There was a successful military-backed coup. The deposed leader, President Dawda Jawara, fled the country

17-08-1994

Lesotho

There was a successful coup

15-09-1994

Liberia

There was an attempted coup. It was a rebel-backed coup

11-11-1994

The Gambia

There was a military-backed attempted coup

15-08-1995

Sao Tome and Principe

There was an attempted coup. It was a military-backed coup. The leader was jailed in the coup

27-01-1996

Niger

There was a successful coup. It was a military-backed coup. The deposed leader, President Mahamane Ousmane, was placed under house arrest and jailed in the coup

02-02-1996

Guinea

There was an attempted military coup

25-07-1996

Burundi

The army launched a coup, ousting President Sylvestre Ntibantunganya.

There was a successful coup. It was a military-backed coup

28-10-1997

Zambia

There was an attempted military coup

07-06-1999

Guinea-Bissau

There was an attempted military coup

08-04-1999

Niger

On 9 April 1999, there was a successful coup. It was a military-backed coup. The deposed leader, President Ibrahim Bare Mainassar, was killed in the coup

07-05-1999

Guinea-Bissau

Soldiers toppled President Vieira

There was a military- and rebel-backed successful coup. The deposed leader, President João Bernardo Vieira, fled the country

24-12-1999

Cote d’Ivoire

Cote D’Ivoire experienced its first successful military intervention when General Robert Guei led the coup that toppled the regime of President Henri Konan Bédié

18-09-2000

Cote d’Ivoire

There was an attempted military coup

23-11-2003

Guinea Bissau

There was an attempted military coup

07-12-2000

Djibouti

There was an attempted coup backed by a faction of the police force following the firing of the country’s police chief

06-01-2001

Cote d’ Ivoire

On 6 January2001, there was an attempted coup backed by foreign powers

18-04-2001

Burundi

There was an attempted coup. It was a military-backed coup

28-03-2001

CAR

There was an attempted coup. It was a rebel-backed coup

22-07-2001

Burundi

There was an attempted coup

17-03-2009

Madagascar

There was a successful coup. It was a military-backed coup. The deposed leader, President Marc Ravalomanana, was forced into exile in the coup

19-09-2002

Cote d’ Ivoire

There was an attempted military coup

15-03-2003

CAR

There was a successful military- and rebel-backed coup

08-06-2003

Mauritania

There was an attempted coup. It was a military-backed coup

16-07-2003

Sao Tome and Principe

There was a successful coup. It was a military-backed coup. President Fradique de Menezes, who was in Nigeria at the time of the military takeover, returned to Sao Tome a week later and was reinstated as president after striking a deal with the coup leaders. Amnesty was given to those who carried out the coup

14-09-2003

Guinea-Bissau

General Verissimo Correia Seabra led a coup that removed President Kumba Yala

28-03-2004

DRC

There was an attempted military coup

11-06-2004

DRC

There was an attempted military coup

05-02-2005

Togo

There was a successful coup. It was a military-back coup. Following the death of longtime leader President Gnassingbe Eyadema, the army put his son, Faure Gnassingbe, in power

03-08-2005

Mauritania

There was a successful military coup. The deposed leader, President Maaouya Ould Sid’Ahmed Taya, was forced into exile

13-03-2006

Chad

There was a military-backed attempted coup in which army defectors plotted to shoot down President Idriss Déby’s plane

06-08-2008

Mauritania

There was a successful coup. It was a military-backed coup. The deposed leader, President Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi, was jailed in the coup

07-08-2008

Guinea Bissau

Failed attempted coup led by Rear Admiral Bubo Na Tchuto

23-11-2008

Guinea Bissau

There was an attempted military coup

23-12-2008

Guinea

There was a successful coup. Following the death of longtime leader Lansana Conte, a military-backed junta headed by Captain Moussa “Dadis” Camera took power

02-03-2009

Guinea Bissau

Soldiers killed President João Bernardo Vieira in retaliation for the killing of the head of the joint chief of staff, General Tagme Na Waie, on 1 March 2009

18-02-2010

Niger

There was a successful military coup. The deposed leader, President Mamadou Tandja, was jailed in the coup

01-04-2010

Guinea Bissau

There was an attempted military coup

17-11-2010

Madagascar

There was an attempted military coup

11-02-2011

Egypt

There was a successful military-backed coup following mass protests. The deposed leader, Hosni Mubarak, was jailed

19-07-2011

Guinea

There was an attempted coup. It was a military-backed coup

21-03-2012

Mali

Mutinous soldiers, led by Amadou Sanogo, announced a coup to oust President Amadou Toumani Touré

12-04-2012

Guinea Bissau

Failed attempted coup

There was a successful coup. It was a military-backed coup. The deposed leader, Prime Minister Carlos Gomes Junior, was jailed and forced into exile in the coup

01-05-2012

Mali

On 1 May 2012, there was an attempted coup. It was a military-backed coup

22-11-2012

Sudan

There was a military-backed attempted coup

03-07-2013

Egypt

Egyptian army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi led a coalition to remove the democratically elected President of Egypt Mohamed Morsi from power and suspended the Egyptian constitution of 2012

30-08-2014

Lesotho

There was an attempted military coup. It was a military-backed coup

13-05-2015

Burundi

There was an attempted coup against President Pierre Nkurunziza. It was a military-backed coup

15-11-2017

Zimbabwe

There was a successful coup. It was a military-backed coup. The deposed leader, President Robert Mugabe, was jailed in the coup

11-04-2019

Sudan

There was a successful coup. It was a military-backed coup. The deposed leader, President Omar al-Bashir, was placed under house arrest in the coup

18-08-2020

Mali

Colonel Assimi Goita led a coup that overthrew President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita

31-03-2021

Niger

A military unit unsuccessfully tried to seize the presidential palace in Niger’s capital, Niamey

24-05-2021

Mali

Colonel Assimi Goita displaced the transition government and grabbed power

21-04-2021

Chad

Mahamat Déby Itno succeeded his father, Idriss Déby, who was killed.

A military council took control of the government following the battlefield death of President Idriss Déby. The council was run by Déby’s son, Mahamat Idriss Déby

05-09-2021

Guinea

Mamady Doumbouya led a coup that ousted President Alpha Condé

21-09-2021

Sudan

A group of Sudanese military officers and soldiers attempted to overthrow the government but failed to take control

25-10-2021

Sudan

General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan led a coup to overthrow Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok

25-01-2022

Burkina Faso

Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba led the coup that ousted President Roch Marc Christian Kabore

01-02-2022

Guinea-Bissau

Bloody but failed coup

30-09-2022

Burkina Faso

Captain Ibrahim Traoré staged another coup and deposed Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba

  1. Source: Compiled by the author

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2024 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Fagbadebo, O. (2024). Historicising Coup d’etats in Africa. In: Akinola, A. (eds) The Resurgence of Military Coups and Democratic Relapse in Africa. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-51019-9_2

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics