FULL LIST: Most Attempted, Successful Coups In African Countries (1950-2023)

Here is a list of the most attempted, successful coups In African Countries from 1950 to 2023.

1. Sudan 🇸🇩
Attempted: 18
Successful: 6

2. Burundi 🇧🇮
Attempted: 11
Successful: 5

3. Burkina Faso 🇧🇫
Attempted: 10
Successful: 9

4. Ghana 🇬🇭
Attempted: 10
Successful: 5

5. Sierra Leone 🇸🇱
Attempted: 10
Successful: 5

6. Comoros 🇰🇲
Attempted: 9
Successful: 4

7. Guinea-Bissau 🇬🇼
Attempted: 9
Successful: 4

8. Benin 🇧🇯
Attempted: 8
Successful: 6

9. Nigeria 🇳🇬
Attempted: 8
Successful: 6*

10. Mali 🇲🇱
Attempted: 8
Successful: 5

11. Niger 🇳🇪
Attempted: 8
Successful: 5

12. Togo 🇹🇬
Attempted: 7
Successful: 3

13. DR Congo 🇨🇩
Attempted: 7
Successful: 2

14. Chad 🇹🇩
Attempted: 7
Successful: 2

15. Mauritania 🇲🇷
Attempted: 7
Successful: 5

The January 1966 coup in Nigeria, is counted as successful because it terminated democracy, even though the plotters couldn’t take power.

It also marked the beginning of military coups in Nigeria.

Hafsoh Isiaq

Hafsoh Isiaq is a graduate of Linguistics. An avid writer committed to creative, high-quality research and news reportage. She has considerable experience in writing and reporting across a variety of platforms including print and online.

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