Timeline of Recent Coups and Attempted Coups in West Africa Leading to ECOWAS’s State of Emergency

Timeline of Recent Coups and Attempted Coups in West Africa Leading to ECOWAS’s State of Emergency

The declaration of a state of emergency by ECOWAS on December 9, 2025 was not an isolated decision. It followed a series of destabilizing coups and attempted coups across West Africa that have shaken the region’s democratic foundations.

Below is a chronological account of the most recent events that directly influenced ECOWAS’s announcement.

November 26, 2025 – Guinea-Bissau Coup d’État Military officers seized power in Guinea-Bissau, overthrowing President Umaro Sissoco Embaló. The coup occurred just as electoral results were about to be announced, with armed men storming the electoral commission and detaining officials. General Horta Inta-A Na Man was installed as interim leader, suspending the electoral process and banning demonstrations.

December 7, 2025 – Benin Coup Attempt In the early hours of December 7, mutinous soldiers led by Lieutenant Colonel Pascal Tigri stormed state television in Cotonou, declaring the overthrow of President Patrice Talon. They dissolved state institutions and closed borders. However, the coup was swiftly crushed after Nigeria deployed fighter jets and ECOWAS standby forces intervened, restoring order. France also provided logistical support. This was Benin’s first coup attempt since 1972.

December 9, 2025 – ECOWAS Declares State of Emergency Just two days after Benin’s failed coup, ECOWAS Commission President Omar Touray announced a regional state of emergency. He cited the “average high-risk” security rating of the region, pointing to terrorism, criminal networks, and repeated unconstitutional changes of government. Nigeria’s Senate simultaneously approved President Bola Tinubu’s request to deploy troops in Benin, underscoring the seriousness of the crisis.

Analysis This timeline reveals a pattern of escalating instability. Guinea-Bissau’s successful coup highlighted the fragility of electoral processes, while Benin’s attempted coup demonstrated how quickly unrest can spread even in relatively stable democracies. ECOWAS’s emergency declaration is therefore both a reactive measure to immediate threats and a preventive step against further contagion of coups across the region.

The bloc now faces the challenge of balancing military interventions with the preservation of democratic norms. 

The involvement of Nigeria and France in Benin’s crisis shows that external actors are increasingly drawn into West Africa’s instability, raising questions about sovereignty and regional security architecture.