Was There A Coup In Ivory Coast? This Is What We Know: 5 African Countries That Have Witnessed Coup

Rumors of a military coup in Ivory Coast on Wednesday, 21st of May, 2025, have been firmly debunked by local sources.

According to a resident of Ivory Coast, simply known as Pastor, who spoke with LN247, he clarified that no coup or attempted coup has occurred, countering social media claims of unrest.

He said ‘”on Monday, May 19th, 2025, there was a protest by taxi drivers in Abidjan’s central business district, Plateau, over a newly imposed tax increase turned violent.

The situation escalated when the Finance Minister addressed the drivers and introduced a new tax system coordinator, prompting a riot.

Police intervened, opening fire, and some armed drivers returned fire, leading to several injuries and arrests”.

Our source emphasized that daily life remains unaffected, with people moving freely, the internet fully operational, and no signs of uprisings or demonstrations beyond the isolated incident.

He also noted that the upcoming October 2025 presidential election may be fueling political tensions, with social media being “weaponized” to exaggerate events and spread misinformation.

“You know the presidential election is coming up later this year, so everything will be weaponized, especially social media,” he said, promising to provide updates if further developments arise.

Recent posts on X support Pastor Niyi’s account, noting President Alassane Ouattara’s active governance, including chairing a cabinet meeting on May 20, 2025, and dismissing coup rumors as unverified.

The confusion likely stems from the protest’s violence, misreported as gunfire near the state house, and regional tensions, such as Burkina Faso’s junta accusing Ivory Coast of harboring rebels plotting a coup in April 2025.

Political sensitivities around the election, particularly the disqualification of opposition leader Tidjane Thiam, have further amplified fears of instability, but Ivory Coast remains a relative haven in a region marked by recent coups.

What Is a Coup?

A coup d’état is defined by political scientists Jonathan Powell and Clayton Thyne as an “illegal and overt attempt by the military or other elites within the state apparatus to unseat the sitting executive.” Successful coups result in military or junta-led governance, often justified by claims of addressing corruption, insecurity, or electoral malpractice.

Are there African countries that have witnessed successful coups in the last five years? Here’s what you should know.

Countries That Have Experienced Coups in the Last Five Years

Since 2020, at least eight African countries have experienced successful military coups, with several facing multiple or failed attempts, contributing to the region’s “coup belt” moniker, particularly in the Sahel.

Mali (August 2020, May 2021):

In August 2020, a group of colonels, led by Assimi Goïta, overthrew President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita amid protests over deteriorating security, contested elections, and corruption allegations.

A transitional government was formed in October 2020, but nine months later, Goïta led a second coup, arresting interim President Bah N’Daw and Prime Minister Moctar Ouane.

Goïta was inaugurated as transitional president in June 2021, promising elections by February 2024, though delays have pushed this to 2027. Mali’s junta has expelled French forces and aligned with Russia, reflecting anti-Western sentiment.

Guinea (September 2021):

Special forces commander Colonel Mamady Doumbouya overthrew President Alpha Condé on September 5, 2021, after Condé amended the constitution in 2020 to run for a third term, sparking deadly protests.

Doumbouya was sworn in as president on October 1, 2021, pledging to return power to civilians by the end of 2024. The coup was widely supported by citizens frustrated with Condé’s authoritarianism, though the junta’s slow transition has raised concerns.

Sudan (October 2021):

On October 25, 2021, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan led a military takeover in Khartoum, dissolving a civilian-military transitional council established after the 2019 ousting of dictator Omar al-Bashir. A prior failed coup attempt on September 21, 2021, underscored military tensions.

The 2021 coup derailed Sudan’s democratic transition, and by April 2023, a power struggle between Burhan and his former deputy, Mohamed Hamdane Daglo, erupted into a war that has killed over 5,000 people and displaced millions.

Chad (April 2021):

Following President Idriss Déby’s death in battle against northern rebels on April 20, 2021—the first African head of state killed in combat since 1889—the military installed his son, General Mahamat Idriss Déby, as leader.

The junta suspended the constitution and promised an 18-month transition, but delays have extended military rule, with elections repeatedly postponed amid accusations of dynastic consolidation.

Burkina Faso (January 2022, September 2022):

On January 24, 2022, Lieutenant-Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba ousted President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, citing his failure to curb Islamist insurgencies.

Damiba was sworn in as president in February but was himself overthrown on September 30, 2022, by Captain Ibrahim Traoré, who was appointed transitional president.

Traoré’s junta has promised elections by July 2024 but faces ongoing security challenges, with over 60% of the country outside government control.

Niger (July 2023):

On July 26, 2023, General Abdourahamane Tiani led a military coup that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum, Niger’s first democratically elected leader to succeed another in a civilian-to-civilian transition (2021). The junta cited security and governance failures.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) threatened military intervention but prioritized diplomacy, while the junta proposed a three-year transition to civilian rule.

Public rallies in Niamey supported the coup, reflecting frustration with Bazoum’s administration.

Gabon (August 2023):

On August 30, 2023, General Brice Oligui Nguema, head of the Republican Guard, overthrew President Ali Bongo Ondimba days after a disputed general election marred by a curfew, internet blackout, and barred international observers.

Bongo’s family had ruled Gabon for over 50 years, and the coup was welcomed by crowds frustrated with dynastic rule and electoral fraud allegations.

Guinea-Bissau (February 2022):

A failed coup attempt on February 1, 2022, targeted President Umaro Sissoco Embaló, with gunfire reported near the government palace.

The attempt, allegedly led by military elements, was thwarted, but it highlighted ongoing political instability in a country with a history of coups.

Failed attempts, such as those in Niger (March 2021) and Guinea-Bissau (2022), still destabilize political systems. Africa has seen 214 coup attempts since 1950, with 106 successes, accounting for nearly half of the global total of 486.

What Coup Means For Africa

The wave of coups since 2020 signals a troubling reversal of democratic progress made between 2000 and 2015, when term limit adherence was strengthening across Africa.

Currently, 56% of African countries (30 out of 54) lack functional executive term limits, due to coups, term limit evasions by civilian leaders, or absent constitutional restrictions. This trend has significant implications:

•Erosion Of Democratic Norms: Military coups in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso have suspended constitutions, delaying elections and entrenching juntas.

The median duration of military rule post-coup since 2021 exceeds 1,000 days, compared to shorter transitions before 2021.

•Public Disillusionment: Afrobarometer surveys reveal declining support for democracy (from 73% to 68% over a decade) and skepticism about elections, with only 44% of Africans believing they can remove unwanted leaders.

Public celebrations of coups in Niger, Guinea, and Gabon reflect deep frustration with civilian governments’ failures in addressing poverty, insecurity, and corruption.

•Security And Economic Challenges: Coups have coincided with worsening security, particularly in the Sahel, where jihadist groups have displaced millions and seized territory. Burkina Faso’s junta, for instance, controls less than 40% of its land.

The World Bank projects Sub-Saharan Africa’s economic growth to fall to 3.1% by 2025, exacerbating poverty and fueling unrest.

•Regional Dynamics and Anti-Western Sentiment: Most coup-affected countries (except Sudan) are former French colonies, where anti-French rhetoric has bolstered junta support. Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso have expelled French troops and turned to Russia for security partnerships, though results remain limited. Ivory Coast’s recent expulsion of French forces aligns with this trend, despite its stability.

•Long-Term Risks:

While coups initially garner public support as a response to governance failures, analysts like Ibrahim Anoba warn they often fail to deliver promised reforms. “It’s like scratching an itchy wound—it feels good momentarily but worsens the condition,” Anoba says, highlighting the risk of prolonged instability under military rule.

Ivory Coast’s avoidance of a coup underscores its relative stability, but the taxi drivers’ protest and election-related tensions highlight underlying vulnerabilities.

Pastor Niyi’s account emphasizes the role of social media in amplifying isolated incidents, a pattern seen across the region.

Strengthening democratic institutions, addressing economic grievances, and ensuring fair elections are critical to preventing Ivory Coast and other African nations from joining the coup belt.